When the World Cries
by eftee
Summary: They learn that sacrifices are meant to be made, but when it comes to Sakura's life, it's something Syaoran refuses. And he will do anything to save her...even if it means being driven to the brink. SyaoSak. On Hiatus.
1. China Roses

* * *

When the world cries - **Prologue: _China Roses_** - Fire Temptress

* * *

_Year: _2666 

_The skies – _they seemed to be permanently streaked with heavenly hues of purple and pink and orange, its colors having danced across the sky, as if a painter just gave a few strikes of his paintbrush, and his painting was this creation of the heavens.

A little girl shuffled out of a shrub of China Roses, her dress dirtied, her hair in disarray. She looked out of place in the park she had entered – in the only park left in town, and probably in the whole world. She approached the swing set where only one swing dangled, and sat on it, rocking back gently as the chains started to hum with creaks. It hadn't been oiled in a long time. This park has not been occupied in a long time. These days, these days in times of war, everyone chose to stay home where at least they were guaranteed some form of protection.

The little girl lifted her head to the sky, basking in its beauty, and smiling sadly. Her eyes seemed glazed over with tears. Well, more like, they _were_. White streaks started to cross the sky, one going one way, another going the other. Something, or more than one something, was flying to somewhere. Who knew where?

But the little girl knew that once it arrived to its destination, a lot of people will die, and that's why her eyes were watery and her smile was sad. And so, the little Catholic girl mimicked the symbol of a cross as she tapped her forehead, her shoulders, and her heart, casting a silent prayer to Jesus Christ, asking him to watch these poor innocent souls that will soon join him in Heaven.

And she continued to pray for those forced to fight in this worldwide war. She prayed for the innocent lives lost, and soon to be lost. She even prayed for the people who enforced this war, asking Christ to please forgive them. She prayed for all that was good in the world, and all that was tainted with the temptation of power. She prayed for herself. She prayed for her family, for her friends, for her fellow people.

She prayed for the world.

And she lifted her head up slowly, eyes going slightly wide at the upcoming object heading her way. It was then her tears started to fall, knowing what fate she was to meet as soon as that object reached land. And the little girl closed her eyes and muted out the world for just a split second:

"_Hail Mary, full of grace,  
the Lord is with you.  
Blessed are you among women  
And Blessed is the fruit of Your womb, Jesus. _

Holy Mary, Mother of God  
Pray for us sinners now  
and at the hour of our death."

She parted her lids and looked to the sky, the tears still cascading like never ending droplets of streams. The little girl smiled that sad smile; one last word whispered from her lips before her world as she knew it was engulfed by whiteness.

_"…Amen."_

* * *

The Four Guardians stood amongst each other, frowning, stoic and sad expressions plastered on their faces. 

"We can only hope for a victor, and for that victor to be of right cause and to rebuild the world."

_"It'll take decades to repair this damage."_

"**Why don't we do something? We ****are** **the Guardians after all. Is it not our duty to protect this world which we've sworn to do so?**"

_"**It is not that simple, for he has passed the gates and had managed to crack through our barrier. If he is strong enough to do that, and manipulate the mines of so many in order to cause World War III, who knows what else he is capable of?**"_

"What is his purpose?"

_"…**Only time will tell.**"_

She turned her face away, her gaze sweeping over to her view of the world. She clasped her hands and silently she prayed.

* * *

_Who can tell me if we have heaven?  
Who can say the way it should be?  
Moonlight holly, the Sappho Comet  
Angel's tears below a tree_

_You talk of the break of morning  
As you view the new aurora  
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven  
One love carved in acajou_

_One told me of China Roses  
One of thousand nights and one night  
Earth's last picture, the end of evening  
Hue of indigo and blue_

_A new moon leads me to  
woods of dreams and I follow  
A new world waits for me  
My dream, my way_

_I know that if I have heaven  
there is nothing to desire  
Rain and river, a world of wonder  
may be paradise to me_

_I see the sun...  
I see the stars..._

* * *

**Fire Temptress**: xD Okay, so I started another story. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I couldn't help it. Was just hit by sudden inspiration to do another futuristic fic. And yes, this will be futuristic, starting in the next chapter or so, and I plan on, or am hoping on, keeping every single CCS character _in-_character. And this is about the only thing I have the slightest bit of inspiration for. 

And to explain the "engulfed by whiteness," bit, and the whole objects streaking across the sky - think nuclear war missles. And the lyrics at the end **do not belong to me or are written by me. **They are from Enya's song, _"China Roses." _And no, this will not be a religious fic, so I hope some of you do not mind the prayer that little girl had made. And as for the "four guardians," I guess some of you could make guesses as to who they are and who "she" is. :P And that little girl is just a random character, btw, not any of the CCS cast. _They _will come in next chapter. :)

Hope the prologue was alright. Constructive criticism/comments welcomed. Please review.

-_FT _

(And thank you, "ey," for correcting me.)


	2. Rainy Days

* * *

When the world cries - **Ch. I: _Rainy Days _**_- _Fire Temptress

* * *

Her eyes were burning. 

Or at least seemed to be burning with heat that berated down on her closed eyelids.

A groan escaped her lips. There was some rustling, but she was too lazy to cover her eyes from the light that tortured her eyes so. But who in the world opened her blinds? She liked them closed, _thank you very much…_

And so, with a huff, the annoyed-sleepy-girl rolled over and buried her face in her pillows, thus blocking her eyes from that bright morning light beaming through her window.

Two, round beady objects stared up at her from the ledge of her bed. Those black pools seemed to blink, as circular, teddy bear like ears twitched. And on rose those round eyes, and as this thing rose, a sadistic little smirk was plastered on a face of yellow.

"Sa-kurrr-_aaaa…" _the thing called out in a light whisper.

The limp being known as Sakura did not stir to acknowledge her name being called.

"_Sakura.." _it said again. "Wake uuup… Or else…"

A dramatic pause.

"…You'll be late for school."

And in a manner of seconds, the whole house – and possibly the whole neighborhood – shook with an explosion of "HOE-_EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_," followed by a thump of a body, and the rushing around of a school-girl, desperately trying to get ready before school started. But…

…Turns out she didn't have school, as the thing with beady black eyes pointed out, whilst bursting out into fits of uncontrollable laughter.

"…KERO-CHAN. THAT WAS NOT NICE! HOW DARE YOU PULL THAT TRICK ON ME…!"

"Again?" he offered, the thing known as Kero thus snickering.

The girl-who-was-once-sleeping was positively bristling in anger, her face flushed, her emerald eyes narrowed to dangerous, fiery orbs. "Kero-chan…" she bit out warningly through gritted teeth. "If you do that _one more time _during these next three months of my wonderful summer vacation… I will personally make sure you stay on a permanent diet."

Looking rather horror-struck at the thought of _him, _the almighty Keroberos, going on a diet, Kero backed down. Just the thought of him going on one was absurd! Ridiculous! Preposterous! Etcetera, etcetera. The yellow-teddy-bear-thing grumbled incoherent words beneath his breath.

Sakura looked pleased and satisfied by his silence and flattened her hair down before heading off to her walk-in closet to change from her school uniform, and into comfortable summer clothes.

* * *

She smiled to herself as she took a step outside from her home and unto the streets of Tomoeda, Japan. It was a lovely day, to say the least. The sun was out. The birds were chirping – a perfect picturesque image of summer, one would say… 

But it wasn't all that perfect, but perfect enough for Sakura Kinomoto.

She lived in Downtown Tomoeda – an area where the lower and middle class resided. It was the year 2766, one hundred years exactly since World War III. The results of the war changed the world as people once knew it drastically. In an instant there were obvious changes. The winners of the war took complete control, and the same generation of rulers had kept on going. One resided over all. That's how it's been for the past one hundred years.

(But of course, viceroys were second in command per colony. Tomoeda was part of a colony which consisted of some of Japan's cities: along with Tomoeda there was Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama, Urawa, Kofu, and just every single city located in Central Tokyo.)

But anyway, unlit Japanese lanterns decorated the dirty streets, hanging along the adobe homes as it trailed off in the distance. It wasn't all that bad where they lived. On the contrary, it was always lively, what-with the many markets that were always opened from day to night, and the festivals that they had every once a month, or on a holiday. It beat living in the big city where cars flew and it was always way too packed. People were more rude there, too. Her father, Fujitaka Kinomoto, worked in a more industrialized city though – Tokyo – as a professor at one of the Universities. It was just he preferred living in a simple area, instead of a tedious one.

Sakura wouldn't trade moving to the city for anything though. All of her friends were here. And she was happy.

Smile brightening, Sakura dashed down the dirt-packed road, waving to neighbors as some of them came out to hang wet sheets so the sun could dry them out. She was heading off to meet her best friend. Around her neck a necklace bounced around, and Sakura reached up and wrapped her hand around the small key-shaped pendant that hung from it to stop it from bouncing about. The key itself was pink, with a peculiar looking circle at the top, and a five-point star in the middle of this circle.

If it wasn't for this key, Sakura Kinomoto would've been like any normal seventeen-year old girl. But she wasn't, for this key set her apart from everyone else.

For you see, she had a duty: A duty as the Card Mistress.

But, let's face it, that's already in the past – her collecting the Clow Cards, going through Yue's Judgement in order to _become _the rightful Mistress, converting the cards into Sakura Cards…

Oh, wait. As an author, one must always write as if the readers have no clue as to what is going on. So let me do that over:

Back when she was ten or so, Sakura Kinomoto had walked into her basement when hearing some noise, and came upon a red velvety book with the engraving of a golden lion wearing a head piece on the cover. She opened it, and voila, that's when she came upon the magical set of cards created by a long-dead sorcerer known as Clow Reed. Keroberos, or just Kero for short, was supposed to be guarding these cards, but unfortunately, had fallen asleep and was still asleep during the time Sakura stumbled upon them. She had plucked the very first card from the top, and read the name out loud:

"_Windy," _it had said.

And in a manner of seconds, a whirl of wind scattered the cards around Tomoeda, and Sakura was then forced to recapture them all – with the help of Kero, of course, and her best friend who was always around to video tape her and design her oh-so-kawaii outfits to capture the cards in (insert squeal here).

But of course, not everything can be done easily. That's when her _"rival," _stepped in. His name was and is Li Syaoran. He had come from Hong Kong, China in order to gather the cards, having been sent by the elders of the Li Clan, a prodigious clan known throughout the world, actually.

Well, anyway, so he came to get the cards, but in the end, he ended up helping Sakura capture them, although he never admitted to helping her. And when all the cards were captured, that's when _Yue's Judgment _came along.

And it was then that Sakura found out that Kero was not the only Guardian created by Clow Reed. Yue was another – a white haired angel with piercing blue eyes and a cold, stoic expression always plastered on his face. He was to fight both Syaoran and Sakura, and the victor would then thus be the Master (or Mistress), of the cards.

And of course, Sakura was the victor. Kero and Yue were now officially her Guardians, and with their help, and Syaoran's, she was able to convert the cards into Sakura Cards.

But _then, _(oh, quit with the groaning), there was Eriol Hirragizawa, a.k.a: the _half-_reincarnation of Clow Reed. (Sakura's father was the other half reincarnation. What a trip, yes?) And, well, the blue-haired, glasses-wearing, sapphire-eyed boy just simply _loved _to cause troubles, and so did his own Guardians, Nakuru and Spinel Sun, which made converting the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards more difficult.

But obviously, all turned out well in the end.

So, where was I? Oh yes…

Sakura skidded to a stop at the King Penguin Park, which was also the center-point between Downtown Tomoeda, and the more industrialized Tomoeda. She spotted a head full of raven hair, wavy and all, next to the swing set, and instantly dashed towards it.

"Tomoyo-chan…!" she called out, flaying an arm from side-to-side.

The head lifted up, and amethyst eyes were greeted by Sakura's own smiling emerald eyes.

"Sakura-chan!"

Her best friend, also known as Tomoyo as we now have concluded, smiled that dashing smile of hers and greeted the said person with a hug. Both girls disentangled from the embrace, and Kero came fluttering out of Sakura's small backpack.

"Kero-chan, you're here, too?" Tomoyo asked, her voice twinkling and sophisticated.

Kero perched himself on the girl's shoulders. "Hai, I am. Because I know my Tomoyo-chan will not let her Kero-chan starve."

She laughed. "Of course not, Kero-chan." And with that said, she pulled out a bag of cookies that caused the Guardian's eyes to light with stars.

Sakura giggled at the scene, and then smiled. Tomoyo Daidouji. Her best friend since they were little kids. They were never seen without the other. Somehow, Tomoyo always had a smile on her face, and managed to stay and appear calm no matter what situation they were in. She was gorgeous, too, one of the most beautiful and sought out girls in all of Tomoeda. She lived in the "high class" area, but that didn't stop the two girls from being friends, for they both attended the same school since elementary.

But along with having a great personality and looks that any girl would be jealous of, Tomoyo tended to be… scary, especially when it came to designing Sakura outfits, video taping Sakura, and just fawning over her "Kawaii Sakura." (insert starry-look here)

Okay, so _anywho…_

With their arms linked, Sakura and Tomoyo (Kero having gone back into Sakura's backpack), headed to the major parts of Tomoeda. They walked down an aisle of trees, and the second they reached that end, they were greeted by the noisy hussle and bussle of everyday-city-life.

Cars drove without wheels, practically flying over the road and into the air. Blocks of cement would sometimes rise randomly into the air, startling pedestrians before the block would settle back into "being one with the sidewalk." Advertisements flashed with its own life, honking and car engines roaring filled the air, along with the chattering of thousands of citizens.

Sakura and Tomoyo headed to an outside ice cream shop, and as they went, Sakura was lifted into the air by one of those random blocks, and more rose to form a small staircase that the Card Mistress happily hopped along, before the last one brought her back down. The two girls giggled as a cute little robot flew circles around their heads, its jet pack letting out rattling noises before stopping. It looked like a mini-TV set, red, and with two antennas sticking out in a V-shape. It "bowed" and gave the two girls roses before flying off.

They then occupied a table at the outside ice cream parlor, an umbrella attached to the center to shield them from the rising temperatures of the summer-sun.

Sakura ordered a strawberry shake, and Tomoyo got a vanilla one. But that's not very important.

Sakura looked around, smiling faintly to herself.

Ever since her card capturing days seemed to have come to an end, things were peaceful and simple, and she was able to relax and focus all of her attention on school. Ever since Eriol and his Guardians went back to London, havoc did not wreak the small town of Tomoeda. And ever since Li Syaoran went back to Hong Kong… Sakura thought of him everyday.

Just like now.

As she sat and wondered what he was up to.

Tomoyo looked at the girl with knowing amethyst eyes. She could read her friend's emotions like an open book, and knew what – or typically _who _– she was thinking of.

"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo spoke up in a rather way too happy way.

The auburn haired teen looked at her questioningly, one eyebrow raised. "Hai, Tomoyo-chan?"

"Are you ever going to visit Li-kun?" she inquired, causing Sakura to blink. "I know you miss him, and I do, too! So we should visit him!"

"Ano… Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura started, still blinking before shaking her head. "We can't just _pop _up there and out of nowhere without asking… And besides, Syaoran-kun said he'd come visit _us _when he can, so I think it's best if we wait."

She raven-haired girl let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine, alright. I'll wait…" _And then I get to videotape more kawaii Sakura and Li-kun moments…_

Sakura eyed Tomoyo when noticing that infamous look she got on her eyes whenever she thought of something that either made her go starry-eyed, or look as evil as she did now…

"Tomoyo-chan… What are you thinking?" she asked cautiously.

"Ohoho!" Tomoyo laughed right out. "Nothing, my dear Sakura-chan! Nothing to worry your kawaii little head over!"

"And why am I not reassured?" she muttered beneath her breath, going dot-eyed.

On the contrary, it's been years since Li Syaoran left and went back to Hong Kong. It was right after Eriol left, actually, which was as soon as all of the cards were converted into Sakura Cards. They didn't have any more reason to stay in Tomoeda, and Syaoran had family duties to take care of. Sakura sighed to herself before brightening.

Oh well. He promised to come back. And one thing Sakura learned from becoming friends with her once-upon-a-time rival, was that he _never _broke a promise.

London

It was night out now in London, things have calming down a bit from the hassle of day. The moon was out, nice and round and big. Just the way a certain Guardian liked it. His piercing blue eyes seemed to glow more brilliantly from the glow the moon provided, and his long white hair glittered with silver. He looked calm and passive – as he always did.

His arms were crossed. His white angelic wings were furled behind him. The London Clock Tower with which he stood on dinged as it struck midnight.

The Guardian who once stood alone, was now not alone. For the second it struck midnight, another figure was seen next to him. He was dark in contrast to the dark of the night, easily melding in with it. Locks of midnight blue hair fell before his sapphire eyes, the lens of his glasses glimmering.

A smile was plastered on the pale face of this new visitor.

"Yue," he said, in acknowledgment to the Moon Guardian.

A simple nod of the head was his response.

"Does Sakura-chan know you are here?"

"No, she does not," Yue answered. The boy's smile only widened.

"Still the same as ever, I see," he mused, before making a gesture with his hand. "But I'm sure you feel it, and that's why you are here, in London?"

There was no response, for there was no need to respond. They both knew the answer.

"This means… my dear kawaii descendent will make his appearance," the latter said, with cheeriness that would make anyone shudder.

But Yue… did not shudder. That was just not his thing.

He simply eyed Eriol Hirragizawa from the corner of his eye.

…This boy… was definitely the reincarnation of Clow Reed.

"When though?" Yue asked.

"Soon enough."

* * *

"This is strange…" Sakura mused. 

It was dark in Japan as well, the sun having set a couple hours ago. She was back at home, in her two-story house, sitting at the window of her bedroom. Clouds had started to set in, looming over Tomoeda and having cast it in pure darkness.

Rain clouds. She could just here the thunder rumbling within them, rain getting ready to fall.

And it was just sunny earlier, too…

"Can you hear that, Kero-chan? It's going to rain…" Sakura started, turning around to look at Kero. She paused though when seeing him staring grimly at the television, brows furrowed. But it didn't seem as if he saw the TV, but instead, was thinking of something else. "…Kero-chan? Daijoubu desu ka?"

His ears twitched, and he blinked, snapping out of his momentary state. "Eh? Oh, daijoubu, Sakura-chan," Kero replied, turning his attention back to the television. And in a matter of seconds, he was back to normal – shouting at the television and beating the buttons of the controller with his paws as he struggled to win his game.

Sakura frowned, before sweat dropping.

And then, outside, the first drop of rain hit the floor, and soon, more rain followed in pursuit, patting against the ground.

The rain turned to hail.

The hail turned into a thunderstorm, and Sakura gazed out worriedly from her window.

This was odd, very odd…

She could feel her cards auras, each one letting out a feeling of restlessness Sakura couldn't help but share. Kero had fallen silent once more.

It seemed as if the earth itself trembled with uneasiness.

It continued raining the next day, but it wasn't as storming as last night. Instead, it settled to a constant pit-patting, never once ceasing, but never once becoming worse. The streets became muddy, and the houses took on a darker hue from the dampness of the air. No one could be seen out on the streets. All markets were closed. Not even the cities seemed to be as busy as it normally would be.

But everyone carried on with their everyday lives without a care in the world. But Sakura was worried. Kero was worried. And so were her cards. Even when Yue had dropped by momentarily did Sakura noticed his uneasiness. Although he looked cold as ever, she could feel it in his aura.

Something was going on, and something definitely was going to happen.

But for now, they would just have to wait.

Sakura came bounding down the stairs the second the delightful aroma of heavenly food reached her nose. Kero flew ahead of her. Downstairs they were greeted by Touya, Sakura's older brother, and Yukito, Touya's best friend (who Yue once inhabited). Her father, Fujitaka, was in the kitchen, cooking.

They all knew about the whole ordeal of the Cards.

Fujitaka was calm about it, but Touya… well… wasn't too happy at first, especially once he found out how she had worked along with Li Syaoran, whom Touya thinks is the biggest Chinese Brat in all the world.

"Hello, Sakura-chan," Yukito greeted with his normal cheeriness, "Kero-chan."

"Yukito-san!" Sakura exclaimed happily, bouncing up to him, her cheeks rather flushed.

She had a crush on him back when she was little, but now, she saw him more like a big brother.

"Hey, kaijuu."

And in an instant, Sakura's smile faltered into a tight frown as her emerald eyes narrowed dangerously at her older brother. "I… am _not_… a monster," Sakura bit out through gritted teeth.

And to emphasize her point, she lifted a leg, and stomped with all of her strength on the older one's foot.

Colorful words flew from his mouth.

"Touya-kuunn…" came Fujitaka's warning tone from the kitchen.

The said person huffed and glared at his sister, before heading to the kitchen to help Fujitaka set the table. Kero was hovering around Fujitaka's head, staring hungrily at the cooking food. Touya eyed him and plucked him from the air before tossing him back into the living room.

"Hey!" Kero yelled, rather outraged as he composed himself.

"No animals allowed in the kitchen," was all Touya said.

At that, Kero simply bristled as steam practically fumed from his ears.

Yukito smiled amusedly.

And soon, they were all eating, with the exception of Kero, of course, who was "pigging out," to put it simply. And as they ate, Sakura could not ignore that restless feeling churning deep within her stomach.

Hong Kong

He stood outside beneath the pouring rain, amber eyes glinting brightly in the darkness. Golden specks seemed to glow within those pools of amber, and they only grew brighter and brighter. He was still. Completely still, as if unaware of the rain that berated down on him and drenched him from head-to-toe. He was panting, chestnut brown hair dangling before his eyes and clinging to the side of his face.

In his hand he held his sword, white knuckles gripping the hilt, water dripping from the sharp tip of the Li Clan Sword. And then he raised the blade and ran it through the curtains of rain before slicing through it neatly. He twirled around and repeated the same motion. Again. And again, and again. Before soon, he fell into a dance. The dance of swords. It was a routine of his repeated constantly over the years until it was perfected.

He moved and glided above the mud, ignoring it as it sprayed into the air and clung to his clothes and skin. His brows were creased. His gaze was intently focused. His aura was concentrated all to the center of his sword as it seemed to glow with life.

It buzzed smoothly and clearly over the cascading water. Droplets of rain splattered from his hair and clothes as he spun around and flipped through the air. He punched an invisible enemy. He cut down another unseen foe. He kicked the air.

And all the meanwhile he did it with such expertise and grace that no one would see this as an intimidating fighting style, but a new type of art that would leave many in wander and amazement. But the sharpness and the glare of the blade would leave many to shudder at the thought of being the one at the end receiving the blow.

Tendrils of his aura flowed through the earth beneath him as he moved around and perfected his style of fighting with his sword. Yes. Even he could feel the restlessness. He himself was anxious as well, hence why he was out in this rainy weather, training.

He then came to a slow stop, his sword forming back into the pendent. He hung it around his neck, and resided in standing there once more with eyes closed, as if in a meditating state. Anyone with a magical eye could see his green aura flowing about him, trying to ease the earth of its constant anxiety. He managed to calm it down just a little bit, but not the whole earth.

He opened his eyes and faced the sky, a frown tugging at his lips.

"Xiaolang!" A voice interrupted him from his thoughts.

He turned his head towards the front door of the Li Mansion. They were open, and at the frame stood a black haired teenaged girl, her golden red eyes glaring at him through the rain.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, scolding.

Li Syaoran couldn't help but roll his eyes as he made his way back to the opened doors. "Meiling, you are not my mother."

"No, I am not," she retorted, tossing a towel into his face. "But if Auntie Yelan found out that you were standing outside in the rain like some damn moron waiting to catch a cold, I don't think she'd be too happy."

He didn't deny that, and so, instead of replying, Syaoran wiped his hair with the towel before slinging it around his shoulders and heading to his room.

"And look at you! Everywhere you walk you leave water!" Meiling ranted, trailing after him.

A vein pulsed faintly in Syaoran's temple. "Meiling…" he started warningly. "Are you _trying _to get on my nerves today?"

"Is it that obvious?" she asked, voice honeyed with sugary sweetness.

He scoffed, and once he was at his door, entered his room, and slammed the door shut right behind him and in Meiling's face. She scowled at the barrier, fuming silently at her cousin's rudeness.

"Don't forget, Xiaolang," she then said from the other side. "We leave tonight."

There was a momentary silence, and Meiling hummed pleasantly before skipping off. Her smile only widened delightfully when the house shook with Syaoran's outraged cry:

"**_WE?_** SINCE WHEN?"

Meiling simply carried on her way, passing by the butler, Wei, in the process.

"Is Master Xiaolang alright?" he asked.

Meiling flashed him a cheery grin. "Oh of course. He will be, at least."

"If you say so…" Wei trailed off.

* * *

It had taken Syaoran a while to register what Meiling had meant when she said 'we,' and when it did, well, the aftershock wasn't all that pretty. He could only wonder what had driven the Elders to agree in letting Meiling come along. Honestly now. 

He concluded that they must not have been in the right state of mind when giving her permission to "tag along." He sighed to himself, having stripped himself of his wet clothes and into a pair of dry sweat pants (-wards away squealing fan girls-). Maybe they were sending Meiling along as a precaution so that she'll bring Syaoran back, just in case he decided to stay there longer than necessary? Even so, Meiling loved Tomoeda as much as he did.

So he went back to the idea that the Elders were most definitely not in the right state of mind, that or his cousin must've bugged them silly until they agreed to let her go.

He wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter.

Syaoran sighed to himself once more, turning his head to the side to look at the wide open suitcases scattered across his floor. Only one of them was fully packed. He still had a bit more to do. After all, who knows how long he'll be in Japan for…?

A smile then adorned his lips.

Japan meant Tomoeda.

Tomoeda meant seeing Sakura again.

He still thought of her a whole lot, even though he hadn't seen her for years. The memory of her was still freshly imprinted in his mind. It was hard to forget Sakura. Once you know her… she just… becomes a part of you. Syaoran sat up and pried himself from his bed, packing away the rest of his stuff as he mused to himself.

Yes, he even thought about Yue and that annoying Stuffed Animal. He thought about Tomoyo, and even that idiot Touya. Surprisingly enough, he even thought about that annoying ancestor of his, Eriol Hirragizawa.

But… never would he admit that.

And so, in lighter spirits with the anxiety of meeting up with Sakura again, Syaoran carried along with his packing.

Tomoeda

"It's still raining…"

Sakura let out a sigh as she glanced at the dreary weather from her window before heading downstairs to open the door. Standing there was Tomoyo with an umbrella and all. She closed it and shook it off outside, Sakura stepping aside to let her in.

"The weather has been strange lately," Tomoyo commented once they were up in Sakura's room. Kero sat perched on the desk, Tomoyo sitting at the ledge of the bed, and Sakura sitting on the floor. They were all frowning.

"It's summer… it shouldn't be like this," Sakura mumbled.

"Do you have any idea what's going on, Kero-chan?" Tomoyo asked while turning to the Guardian Beast.

Sakura looked expectantly at him as well.

He looked from one girl and to another, not responding at first, before slightly nodding. "Hai, I do."

Both girls exchanged looks before chorusing: "Well!"

He held up a paw. "…I cannot say."

Sakura looked dumbfounded as Tomoyo blinked.

"And why not?" Sakura questioned.

"Because you will find out soon enough," was his response as he lifted himself from the desk and flew to the window where he situated himself at the window's sill. The silence he fell into indicated them not to question any further, and they didn't.

It was quiet in Sakura's room, and the whole Kinomoto household. The most fragile and quietest of sounds could be heard, such as that of the clock ticking away slowly and painfully. Just silence.

More silence…

A stress mark pulsed in Kero's forehead.

And even more silence…

He gritted his teeth and balled his paws into tiny fists.

_Tick… tock… tick…_

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

**_Ticktockticktockticktock._**

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. IT'S TOO QUIET…!"

Tomoyo fell over, taken aback by Kero's sudden outburst. But Sakura looked the least bit phased. She was sitting there with her legs tucked beneath her and her hands crossed over her thighs, her gaze on the carpet of her floor. She had a distant look in her eyes, and Kero fluttered up to her, waving a paw in front of her face.

"Hel-loooooo? Earth to Sakura!"

She lifted her gaze to him, unblinking, while whispering, "Hoeee…" Sakura blinked wildly. "Someone's coming tonight, Kero-chan."

…Silence falls again.

_Tick tock._

"…Like who?" Tomoyo asked, both of her eyebrows shooting up into her forehead.

"I don't know," Sakura murmured, turning her gaze to the window. "I just know someone's coming… Or more than one someone. I'm not sure… I don't know how I know… I can just… feel it."

_Tick…_

"Maybe it's Li-kun?" Tomoyo suggested, voicing everyone's thoughts.

_Tock…_

"Maybe…" Sakura murmured.

But her heart fluttered with hope.

_Tick. Tock._

* * *

_He was standing in the middle amongst the circle of pillars with that same expression on his face – one of absolute calmness. It was hard though to tell what emotions were struggling within him, for his amber eyes were blank. But he was standing at the center, hunched over, body covered with scratches and bruises. His clothes were torn and tattered. His hair messier than normal. And he was breathing heavily._

_He looked as if he were about to collapse. He looked so tired… so weak and vulnerable to the point at it made her heart and insides twist in agony. There was a symbol beneath him, but of what, she could not make out. She could make out the aura of a barrier that extended from pillar to pillar, keeping him encased at the very center._

_She wanted to call out his name. She wanted to reach out a hand to him. She wanted to run to him. She wanted to break this so-called barrier. She wanted to hold him and help him stand…_

_But she couldn't. She couldn't._

_She was just as vulnerable as he looked, but instead, she could feel her vulnerability and uselessness. It pained her to feel like this. It pained her so much that… she wanted to cry._

And so she sat up sharply, eyes wide, face pale in the darkness of her room.

The rain could be heard, still falling.

_Pit-pat._

She could feel her dampened cheeks as her eyes stung from… well… _tears. _Sakura raised a hand and pressed it to her moist skin before wiping it away with the back of her palm. She could still feel that horrible feeling of worthlessness eat away at her insides, but why, Sakura did not know. For the second she woke up, the second the memory of the dream left her mind.

Whatever she dreamt about… scared her witless.

She sighed to herself silently and looked around. Tomoyo and her were sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags, Kero sleeping in between them. They were both sleeping peacefully. She glanced at her alarm clock.

3:00 flashed brightly in red.

3 in the morning. How wonderful. Groaning, Sakura removed the covers and quietly stood up. Since it didn't seem like she was going to get back to sleep anytime soon, she might as well get a drink of water… Sneaking out of the room and down the stairs, Sakura made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. She filled it up with water and was about to drink it down when a faint ring reached her ears.

_Brrring._

It was her cell phone. But where was it! Setting the cup down, Sakura ran into the living room and started to tear it apart, that is… tossing pillow cushions off of the couch and removing the cushions itself. And still she couldn't find it.

_Brrring._

"Where _is _it?" Sakura hissed beneath her breath, looking everywhere at once.

_Brrring._

"Hold on just a little big longer…" she muttered, looking beneath the coffee table.

And voila! There it was.

Sighing, Sakura reached for it and looked at the screen at the caller ID:

Caller Unknown flashed on it.

But anyway, who would be calling at _three in the morning? _

**_Brrring!_** It went on persistently.

Deciding not to leave whoever waiting any longer, Sakura answered it. "Moshi moshi…?" she asked slowly, uncertainly.

Static reached her ears.

"Hello?" she started again, waiting for a reply.

More static.

"Hello!" Sakura hissed into the phone, trying not to be loud as not to wake the others. "Is anyone –"

"Sa…Sakur… Sakura…" she managed to hear against the static.

She froze, her eyes widening.

"Who… Who is this?" she stammered.

The static seemed to die momentarily, but there was a rushing sound, as if whoever it was, was running. "It's me, Sakura! Syaoran!"

And her eyes widened more as she tightly gripped the phone to stop herself from dropping it out of surprise. "Syaoran…?" she breathed out, her heart pounding and fear suddenly gripping her when realizing the panic in his voice. "Syaoran, what's going on? Where are you?"

The static started again, although lightly.

"I'm… here in Tomoe…Tomoeda… Sakura… help –"

And then their connection died, and all that Sakura could hear was the dial-tone. "Syaoran…? Syaoran! Damn it…" She gritted her teeth and hung up, comprehending what to do before coming to a conclusion. She _had _to find him.

Darting up, Sakura pried her jacket from the coat-hanger, pulled it on along with her shoes, made sure her Star Key was hanging around her neck before dashing to the door. And she was _about _to leave when she remembered she didn't have her _cards! _Now how was she to find Syaoran without them? With an irritated huff, Sakura ran up the stairs and barged into her room, not bothering to be quiet since she was in a rush after all.

Tomoyo and Kero were up in an instant, looking sleepily at Sakura.

"Wha… Sakura-chan…?" Tomoyo mumbled groggily.

She ignored them as she grabbed her cards and ran back downstairs. Tomoyo and Kero exchanged confused looks before slowly making their way downstairs.

"Sakura-chan…?" Kero called out.

But she wasn't there anymore. The front door was wide open.

* * *

"Damn it," he cursed out loud when hearing his connection die out. He glared at his useless cell phone and jammed it back into his pockets. 

Syaoran glanced to his side to make sure Meiling was still running with him. Good. She was. Damn it though. Damn it damn it damn it. Damn it all. She _so _should've stayed back in Hong Kong, especially now that they were in a mess.

_How _they got into this mess can be explained later. What mattered at the moment was that they were being pursued by a countless numbers of shadow creatures, each one looking very much solid, and each one with a pair of yellow eyes that glowed darkly in the night. Syaoran and Meiling had tried fighting them earlier, but no matter what they did, more just kept on coming and coming.

And so, they gave up trying to beat them, and instead, broke out running, which led to Syaoran calling for help from Sakura, which he didn't really want to do. But they _did _need help, and if someone could help them, that someone was Sakura.

But in the meanwhile, they'd somehow have to ward these things off.

Syaoran whipped out an ofuda, Chinese inscriptions written on it. He quickly turned around, tossed it into the air, and slammed the flat of his blade against it.

"_KASHIN SHOURAI!"_

And fire erupted in a burst of flames that engulfed the shadow creatures. But, as soon as the light came, the creatures returned to what they were – shadows. They withdrew into the darkness, and once the fire passed, they came back out and advanced at him. Syaoran cursed. He had stopped running now, and so did Meiling.

He was Li. What do you expect? For him to run forever? As if.

He whipped out a couple more ofudas, two of them, wind and fire, and he summoned both elements. With the combination of wind, the fire erupted into greater flames that billowed and raged wildly and with new rage. The shadow creatures cowered at this and disappeared into where they always disappear – into the darkness. Syaoran glowered at this, for as soon as the fire died away, they came back out.

"Syaoran, that's obviously not going to work," Meiling grumbled.

He sent a glare at her from over his shoulder. "I know. I was just trying."

She rolled her eyes. "I know you can do better than those pitiful fires, Syaoran, so stop holding back and wasting time."

"Mmm…" She was right. "Fine… Step back, Meiling."

She did as she was told and stood _far _back. Syaoran stood before the gathering shadow creatures, each one hissing lowly beneath the patting of the rain. Their eyes gleamed dangerously in the night, but so did Syaoran's. He raised his sword and eyed them, and they saw that as an invitation to charge.

He stood there, still and calm, the wind of the night causing his hair to sway to the side, and the water from the rain made his hair flat and his clothes stick to him. But with his green aura flaring menacing around him, Li Syaoran looked like an intimidating person. But then again, these shadow creatures did not know _when _to back down.

He raised his sword and slashed at the nearest one. His energy was flowing within the blade though, and the creature let out an agonized hiss before vanishing into oblivion. The rest of them attacked all at once. Syaoran was everywhere all at once – twirling around and sending water spraying about him from his coat as he sent a kick at one of the creature's head. The force sent it flying back and across the ground. He lashed out at another one with a fist bent back like a claw, and then he slammed his clawed hand into the shadow creature's back, making it stumble forward.

He spun around and sent his kick flying into another's chest area, and then leaped into the air and sent a spinning kick at a fourth one. One of them lunged at his legs as soon as he landed, but he did a back hand-flip and settled himself back on his feet. He smirked to himself as he watched the _things _struggle to keep up with him.

All the ones he had either kicked or punched down came back, and back-up was obviously coming, for the number of creatures were increasing minute by minute. Syaoran frowned. He'd probably be dead tired before he even got _close _to defeating them…

One of them snapped him out of his thoughts when latching itself to his arm. Another clung to his leg, and soon, all of them were jumping on him at once.

Meiling flayed her arms around in utter dismay. "Damn it! Syaoran!"

She made to run at him, but a sudden flash of white light erupted throughout the area, and the creatures retreated into the shadows. Syaoran sat up, him and Meiling looking around through the rain for the source of where the light came from as soon as it died down. But it was raining, and night, and they couldn't distinguish anything at this time of the day…

But before they could think about it any longer, the creatures were out again and Syaoran took on a defensive stance. Before he could do anything though, he felt something brush past him all too fast and in a blur. His eyes widened, taken aback by the new appearance, and he stood straight to see who it was. But it was dark. The blankets of rain stopped him from making out the physical appearance.

But then again. He didn't need to see. He just needed to _feel…_

Meiling, on the other hand, was having problem distinguishing this person. First off, they were moving fast. Second off, it was dark. Thirdly, she could _not _feel auras, so that was a major bummer…

Whoever it was or _what_ever it was had engulfed the shadows in its own shadow… or body… or whatever. It wrapped them up in a ball, and in that ball a white light glowed from the cracks and crevices. Agonized cries could be heard from the creatures, but this time, they could not escape. And as the ball let out and returned back to its dark and tall state, the shadow creatures were gone and nowhere to be seen.

Whatever it was that saved them had sunk into the grown into its own shadow and dashed across the surface of the floor. Syaoran's and Meiling's gaze were trained on it, and on a white light that streaked in the same direction as the shadow did. They both stopped before another figure a yard or so away from them, and the light and shadow disappeared.

Syaoran and Meiling watched as their "savior," walked slowly towards them, clutching a staff-like object in their grasp. They were taking quick steps, and once the person was clear enough, Meiling's eyes practically widened.

"Sakura-chan…" she muttered, before squealing the said girl's name and running to her. A smile lit the emerald eyed girl's face as she and Meiling embraced tightly.

"Meiling-chan! It's so good to see you again!" Sakura exclaimed happily. "Are you alright though?"

"Hai, I am. Much thanks to you," Meiling said, grinning a cocky grin, giving Sakura one last big hug before letting the girl go.

Obviously, Syaoran would want to see her so much more, and vice versa…

And so, amber and emerald met once more after much and many years of separation. Sakura gulped as she stared at the now much taller Li Syaoran. Obviously the years treated him well, for he looked as handsome and as gorgeous as ever, and much more mature, too. She could feel her heart thudding loudly in her ears as she just stood there dumbly, not quite sure what to do.

Syaoran was going through the same thing. He just stared at the girl, Kinomoto Sakura, who has tortured his mind so with memories. She looked as beautiful as ever, and more. He just couldn't seem to keep his gaze off of her…

"I was worried… when you had called…" Sakura started, taking a step towards him. "I thought for sure you were hurt… And I came as quickly as possible…" She lifted up a shaky hand and pressed it to his cheek, and then to his chin, and shakily grabbed on to a fistful of his shirt. "I was so surprised to hear your voice on the phone…" Sakura whispered.

Syaoran looked down at her, smiling faintly, before mutely pulling her into a tight hug that she all too willingly returned. It took all of Sakura's will power not to cry from sheer happiness at this point, and from relief. Neither teens wanted to let go of the other. Meiling smiled widely, wishing Tomoyo was here. She'd go nuts recording them…

"SAKURA-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

"Well speak of the devil…" Meiling mused to herself.

But Sakura and Syaoran didn't seem to hear, for they were too busy clinging to each other as if their life depended on it. Tomoyo and Kero came rushing over through the rain, Tomoyo all clothed and with an umbrella, and Kero flying right next to her. They had to stop and register who was standing before them once they arrived before they gave a reaction.

"MEILING-CHAN!" Tomoyo practically squealed, both girls breaking into a run and meeting mid-way into a tight hug.

"Tomoyo-chaaann!" Meiling exclaimed with the same amount of enthusiasm. "But this can wait! Do you still do the whole video-taping thing?"

"Of course!" Tomoyo said, whipping out the camera.

Meiling grinned widely and pointed at Sakura and Syaoran. "Well, you came just in time."

"Ohoho!" Tomoyo laughed that trademark laugh of hers, turning the camera all on the said couple.

"…" Kero looked from Sakura and Syaoran and to Meiling, debating what to do. He could, choice a: Bother Syaoran and interrupt their reunion, or choice b: bother Meiling. Well, Sakura deserved to be happy right now, so he didn't wish to interrupt his Mistress. And so, choice b it was! "What are _you _doing here?" Kero asked, pointing a paw at Meiling.

She crossed her arms and lifted her nose into the air in a haughty fashion. "What's it to ya, stuffed animal?"

"Just that I never thought I'd see _you _again, Chinese brat," Kero retorted.

She smirked. "Well surprise, surprise! You're looking as chubby as ever."

"And you're looking as bratty as ever."

"Why thank you, stuffed animal."

"Oh, you're quite welcomed, Chinese brat."

Tomoyo sighed happily and dreamily as she recorded Syaoran and Sakura. Oh how she missed this… Now that Syaoran was back though, she could record even more kawaii moments! Oh the joy! Ohoho! Life… was good, now. Tomoyo watched on, starry-eyed.

"You're alright though now, right?" Sakura asked, looking up at Syaoran.

Neither of them had let go yet.

Syaoran nodded. "Hai, Sakura."

She smiled. "I'm glad… But… What _were _they? And why were they after you and Meiling?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I'll explain to you what happened later, once we get to somewhere warm…" He looked around. "How long has the weather been like this?"

"For days," Sakura answered.

He frowned. "It's been like this at China for a while, too."

"Let's go back to my place, then," Sakura said, both of them having reluctantly withdrew from the hug. But Sakura was gripping the sleeve of his jacket, which he did not mind in the least bit. "I'm sure you and Meiling could use some rest. And I don't think Otou-san will mind."

"What about your brother though?" Syaoran asked rather skeptically.

"Don't worry about him. Yukito-san will take care of him for us," Sakura replied back cheerily.

"If you say so…" Syaoran trailed off before looking to the side, blinking and staring blankly at that… camera glinting at him through the rain. "How long have you been here, Daidouji-chan…?"

"Ohoho! Long enough, Li-kun!" Tomoyo answered, flashing an innocent grin.

Sakura blinked, and looked as well, before sweat dropping heavily. "Hoeee… Tomoyo-chan, must you?"

"Hai, Sakura-chan! Now that Li-kun is back, I must tape every moment of you two!"

And her amethyst eyes watered with stars.

* * *

Meiling was fast asleep now before the fire place, having changed into spare clothes from Sakura and huddled into a sleeping bag. They were all gathered in the living room, where the only source of light was the fire in the hearth. Sakura loaned Syaoran some of Touya's clothes, having snuck into his room without him hearing her. Tomoyo was sleeping next to Meiling in her own sleeping bag, Kero was curled up between the two girls… and Sakura and Syaoran? 

They were sitting on the couch, neither of them having let go of the other at all since earlier. His arm was draped leisurely around her shoulders, but at the same time, protectively. Sakura's head was resting against his chest and beneath his chin. They were relishing in each other's warmth, finding comfort, although silent comfort, from one another.

To say the least, they were both overjoyed and more than happy that Syaoran was back. Even though they both 'considered' each other as 'friends,' they found comfort in one another – comfort they could not find in anyone else. And after all, they were separated for so long. Neither could deny the other.

And all that could be heard at the moment was the cackling of the fire.

"…I've missed you, Syaoran-kun," Sakura whispered lightly.

"I've missed you, too, Sakura," he replied, just as softly, reaching down and pulling the covers up to her shoulders just as it was sliding down.

She was too tired to ask him about earlier, and anyway, she knew he was too tired to explain. Sakura glanced up at him to see him struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Go to sleep, Syaoran-kun," Sakura urged gently.

"I don't want to though…" he mumbled stubbornly. He was telling himself that this was all a dream, and that if he went to sleep, he'd wake up to find himself back in Hong Kong, or on his flight to Tomoeda. Sakura smiled.

"Don't worry, Syaoran-kun… I'll still be here when you wake up…"

He looked down at her. "You promise…?"

She nodded, and he seemed reassured, for he let his eyes droop over. And in a matter of minutes, Sakura could hear his peaceful breathing as he fell asleep. She smiled and placed her hand against his cheek, finding it hard herself to accept the fact that he was indeed the real thing, and not some figment of her imagination.

Sakura curled up to him, and in return, he subconsciously tightened his hold around her. The Card Mistress then fell asleep to the lulling of the rain and the cackling of the fire.

Later that day

There was some whispering and some giggling. And yet, the couple sleeping on the couch did not stir. They were oblivious to the quiet chattering, but at the same time, they chose to ignore it, finding peace from their slumber, and just from holding on to the other. She was clinging to him with her face buried in his shirt, and he was clinging to her with his face buried in her locks of auburn hair, which smelled oddly like cherry blossoms…

"Aww… aren't they just the _kawaii-_est thing you've ever seen!"

There was a loud squeal, followed by a rude snort.

"_Food _is _more _kawaii-er."

"Aww, Kero-chan! Come on, admit it!"

"The stuffed animal doesn't have good taste, so I wouldn't waste your time asking him, Tomoyo-chan…"

"Ahh shut it, Chinese brat…"

"Shh! I'm video taping them!"

Silence reigned once more.

………

"What's going on here…?"

"Oho…" A nervous laugh, along with the shuffle of feet. The couple felt the blanket be pulled all the way over their heads, but they continued to ignore.

"Nothing, Touya-san!"

More silence. "What is _she _doing here!"

"Yeah, nice to see you, too, _Touya._"

"If Chinese brat number two is here, that means Chinese brat number one is here! Where is he! And where's Sakura? If I find out those two are together…"

"Really now, Touya-san, there is nothing to worry about."

_Hmm… That voice… Sounds like Tomoyo._

"Why are you trying to cover for that brat! Now where are they!"

_That one sounds like… Onii-chan… Mmm… Hoee… I wonder what they're talking about? I can't seem to understand…_

Silence…

…………..

…

"Now, now, Touya-kun, please. Both you and I know that Syaoran-kun is trustworthy."

There was a snort. "Yeah right. You make think so, but I don't!"

There was a sigh from beneath the blanket, and a shift and shuffle as Sakura snuggled closer to Syaoran, falling deeper into his warmth and security. Bad move.

"What's under that blanket?"

"Nothing, Touya-san," Meiling and Tomoyo chorused at the same time, sitting on the lump beneath the blanket. There were a couple of 'oomfs,' followed by an irritated 'hey!'

Touya marched over and pried both girls off of the couch. He reached over and grabbed the blanket before quickly pulling it off. And, much to his surprise and Yukito's glee, there was Sakura and Syaoran, looking as peaceful as ever as they slept, their arms wrapped around the other…

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING WITH MY SISTER, CHINESE BRAT!"

Yukito calmly held on to Touya to stop him from throttling the poor boy then and there. Touya's sudden outburst caused them both to sit up abruptly, staring around with groggy and confused eyes. They didn't seem to understand what was going on, and Sakura had to rub her eyes and shake her head before she realized who was who, and where she was.

Her cheeks took on a pretty little red hue.

"Ho-_eee…_" she breathed out.

Syaoran rubbed his face, and then raked his fingers through his hair before eyeing Touya and yawning. "Must you yell at me so early in the morning…?"

Tomoyo giggled. "Actually, Li-kun… It's 2 in the afternoon."

Sakura and Syaoran looked taken aback.

"But that doesn't matter! What matters is: WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH MY SISTER?" Touya raged on, struggling to escape Tsukishiro Yukito's seemingly iron-tight hold on him.

"Nothing, Kinomoto," was Syaoran's flat response as he yawned again. "We were just _sleeping. _Nothing wrong with that. And our clothes were on the WHOLE NIGHT, if that's what you were worried about. We can't exactly do anything WITH our clothes on…"

"You're just trying to push me, aren't you, brat?" Touya seethed through gritted teeth.

Meiling was watching the exchange between Touya and Syaoran.

So was Kero.

Tomoyo was happily video-taping away.

And Yukito was munching on some cookies whilst restraining Touya.

"So what if I am?" Syaoran asked calmly.

Sakura sighed, sweat dropping. "Come on, you two… Quit arguing…" she muttered, standing up and stretching. "Syaoran and I just woke up, 'nii-chan, we don't need you scolding us first thing."

"What _are _the two brats doing here anyway?" Touya asked, sending Syaoran one last glare. Yukito released his hold on him.

"Well, that's none of your business," brat number one grunted.

"What Syaoran said," brat number two chorused.

Touya now turned his glare on brat number two, a.k.a, Meiling. They both glared at each other as sparks seemed to come to life and cackle loudly. Sakura went dot-eyed. Tomoyo turned her camera on to them. Kero and Yukito enjoyed themselves over cookies. Syaoran yawned and slumped back down on the couch, making an attempt to go back to sleep.

"I've been wondering the same thing though, you know…" Sakura whispered to Syaoran, taking his hand and prying him off the couch. Whilst Meiling kept him busy, they slipped away and into the kitchen, only to find Fujitaka there, preparing pancakes from everyone.

"Why hello, Li-kun!" Fujitaka greeted happily.

"Hello, Kinomoto-san," Syaoran said, bowing politely before sitting down at the round kitchen table with Sakura. Both exchanged relieved sighs to be away from Touya.

"It's nice to see you again, Li-kun," Fujitaka said, having made a plate for them both and set it before them. Sakura smiled brightly, and Syaoran grinned faintly.

"You, too, Kinomoto-san."

Fujitaka didn't ask questions. He saw no need to. Unlike Touya, he trusted Syaoran with everything he had. When he woke up this morning to find those two sleeping in each others arms in the couch… All he could think about was how adorable they both looked (insert girlish squeal here).

"Thanks, dad," Sakura chirped happily, digging into the inviting pancakes.

Fujitaka then left the kitchen to bring the others their food, giving the two time to talk amongst themselves.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Sakura asked in between bites.

"Not now, Sakura," Syaoran answered calmly. "We'll need to wait for a bit, alright?"

She nodded, and decided not to press any further. "Fine…"

London

"Honestly, Nakuru, do you need so many clothes?" came the drawling voice of Spinel Sun. He was watching dully as his fellow Guardian hassled around to pack her luggage.

"You can never have too many clothes now my dear Suppi-chan!" came Nakuru's cheery response.

"You know, Master will probably leave you behind if you don't hurry up…" Spinel Sun grumbled out before lifting himself up and fluttering down the stairs and into the living room. The sapphire-eyed boy sat on his favorite red armchair, located in the darkest part of his living room. Spinel Sun flew over and perched himself on his shoulder.

"Is Nakuru almost ready?" Eriol Hirragizawa asked.

"Almost," Spinel Sun answered in that drawling voice of his.

"Good…" Eriol murmured, smiling.

Tomoeda will soon be getting some more visitors, that's for sure.

**To be continued.**

Fire Temptress: Surprise, surprise? I update! And it doesn't take me months to do so. So I was on sugar-high when doing this. I had like… countless numbers of pepsi throughout today, and I spent the whole day working on this chapter. Between 2-3 in the afternoon, and now it's 12:15 AM. Thank god for Saturday's!

I tried to make this reach 10,000 words, but alas… I fell a few hundred words short. Ah well. Maybe next chapter-smiles happily-

But I do hope this chapter didn't bore you, what with its lengthy-ness and all.

So yeah. ) Leave a review!

Much gracias.

_-FT_


	3. Tokyo Sleeps

* * *

when the world cries - **Ch.II: _Tokyo Sleeps_** -Fire Temptress

* * *

Not only in japan and Hong Kong, but all over the world did clouds cover the sky and rain fall from the Heavens. Especially in high lands did floods form, and rivers rise. All in just the past few days the rain had fallen. It would hail at times, and storm, and other times it would lighten into gentle rain-pour. There'd be days where it would storm nonstop, and times where it settled at a faint drizzle but of course, the rain would kick up again.

It was all over the news. It was what everyone talked about. It was what left children, adults, seniors, weather reporters, scientists, and typically meteorologists, completely and utterly baffled. No one could begin to comprehend or grasp the idea of why it's been raining nonstop. It was just not normal.

Some people suggested that _the end of the world_ was starting, that, another extinction such as what the dinosaurs had gone through years ago was happening. Doomsday, you could say. But others argued that that could only happen if an asteroid crashed into earth. Some offered the possibility of the atmosphere cracking, the atmosphere that protected earth from space, and allowed them oxygen.

To put it simply, the thought that the world was going to end was heavily hanging in everyone's mind, immediately spreading world-wide panic like some wild plague.

No one suggested that something of the unknown was happening to earth which was the case. Human kind could not understand what was going on, so they turned to other possibilities to fill in this gap, instead of turning to the unknown as a possibility. In this time, no one accepted the unknown anymore, considering human kind grew so much over the hundreds of years since their start. They felt they understood everything now, that they've reached their pinnacle of knowing and knowledge, that they've outsmarted the unknown from creeping up on them.

They felt that anything was possible now, and if anything was impossible, it was surreal, and therefore, unknown. So they frowned upon the unthinkable. It was not accepted. It would be mentioned, yes, but just for a few laughs, and as a joke.

But let the truth be known, what was happening to Earth and the endless cycle of rain was beyond human comprehension. It fell under the "unknown" and the "unfathomable." And only those of the "unknown," would ever be able to understand such as those with magic; magic which was as real as the very hands with which humans write with; as real as the person standing next to you.

_It was quite sad, really, how everyone became so..._ meticulous _over time._

A pair of sapphire eyes gleamed amusedly behind circular spectacles, water raining down on this figure. But his glasses were untouched by the rain, and he could see clearly as if the sun were out, and no rain fell at all.

He crouched down and brushed the tips of his fingers against solid ground. He could feel the shivers and tremors of anxiety that ran like waves throughout the Earth's crust.

_The Earth herself is part of the unknown, as is space, and yet human kind does not see that..._

The sapphire-eyed man stood back up, straightening himself.

_The Earth has a reason to be worried then as do all of us._

Two figures appeared on either side of him, or one figure and "a half." Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon, in their false forms: Spinel Sun as a small, flying teddy bear, similar to Kero, and Ruby Moon looking like any normal school-girl, under the name of Nakuru.

"The sky is falling!" Nakuru exclaimed with such genuine cheeriness.

Spinel Sun rolled his eyes, drawling out in his dull voice: "And that's something to be happy about?"

"Oh stop being so pessimistic, Suppi-chan!" Nakuru chided, wagging a finger at her fellow Guardian.

He scowled. "I am not _Suppi-chan_."

"Whatever you say..." she started in a singsong voice, walking ahead of the other two, "...Suppi-chan."

Spinel Sun sighed, and turned to face his Master. "I will never understand why you created her to be so annoying."

Eriol Hiiragizawa eyed his Guardian with a smile. "For amusement, my dear Spinel Sun, for amusement."

He shook his round little head.

One of the many mysteries of the world: Eriol and his definition of _amusement._

* * *

_"…From Japan and to the states of America, rain has completely engulfed the world. No one can explain these phenomenal and unexplainable events. It's as if 'the sky is falling,' as so many claim it to be, but who can blame them? Floods are starting to form throughout the world, such as in California, throughout the United States and several European and Asian countries. Meteorologists are speechless. Not even they can understand what is happening. The whole world is up in panic…"_

And the voice got cut off there as the television was turned off. There was a sigh, and an exchange of uncertain looks between emerald and amber eyes.

"…This is weird," was all Sakura mumbled, setting the remote down.

Syaoran could only nod in agreement.

They were still gathered in the living room of the Kinomoto Residence, just that it was close to nearing nightfall now. They spent the day in silence, everyone anticipating and waiting patiently for Syaoran to explain what had happened earlier, and how they were being pursued by those… shadow creatures.

But he would not speak of it yet, and he forbade Meiling to do so, either. He was intent on waiting, but for what? Not many of them knew.

Tomoyo and Meiling had left a bit earlier to go stop by at the Daidouji Mansion. She needed more film so she could capture, quote, _"More kawaii moments of Sakura-chan and Li-kun!"_ (A sigh from Sakura and Syaoran was followed). Kero had accompanied them, feeling it his duty as a gentlemanly Guardian to protect both girls, just in case more of those shadow creatures sprung up. But it was more like he was hoping Tomoyo would give him more chocolate goodies.

Touya and Yukito left for work a long while ago, and as did Fujitaka. Yue dropped by earlier, but left, saying he will be coming back later on as soon as the sun set.

And so, it was just Sakura and Syaoran at the moment, and they were taking the time to stare openly at each other, but each one lost in their own thoughts. It was becoming hard to believe that Syaoran was there in Japan, and that the other was real. After so many years of not seeing each other, it was like they were seeing each other for the first time. Both had grown so much, physically, mentally, and magically.

Syaoran could tell that Sakura didn't waste away her time relaxing and lazing back, even though all of the Clow Cards were converted into Sakura Cards. She has been training, for he could feel her increase mingling in her aura. But just how much, though? How much more of her powers was she hiding from him? How much as she _truly _grown?

It was the same with Syaoran. Sakura could feel just how strong he has become, and so much more. But she knew he was concealing more of his powers, and the true extent of it, just as she was. Their magic was at its relaxing point, at a state of calmness where they kept the rest hidden, for not all of it was necessary to show.

Neither knew who was more powerful, but that did not matter. At least… not at the moment. They were just happy that Syaoran was there. They were happy. Really… happy… Nothing mattered. Not the rain pouring outside; not the unexplainable events. At this moment in time, what mattered more was each other.

Sakura smiled to herself.

_He's gotten handsome and more mature since I've last seen him. He's still Syaoran, the same Syaoran I remember from before, before he had left for Hong Kong. But just how much of him is still the same?_

_Will I have to get to know you all over again, Syaoran?_

She knew she would. Just sitting there and studying him, she could already feel the difference and the growth of maturity he went through over the past couple of years. His golden amber eyes gleamed with such collectiveness and calmness, unlike the cold stare he normally had. They swam with wisdom, but how much was unknown. They told their own story about what he went through, the hardships he had to face; an untold story.

A hidden story that was bolted away, such as most of his other emotions. That was one of the things that was still the same about Li Syaoran. He took care to keep everything hidden and not known. That was a habit he just could not get over.

But he was more open. He was more calm. He was much older and more wise. He was not that same little boy who had first tried to take the Clow Cards from her. He was not the same boy who was once her rival. He was not the same boy who would run off in a fit of blushes whenever she was around… He had grown.

As did she.

But Syaoran could not understand how much she had grown or how much she had matured, other than from her magical and physical appearance. Those were obvious changes. She was still that same happy-go-lucky girl he could recall from the faintest parts of his memory. She was still as optimistic as ever, with that same smile that made him want to smile.

She still had that same affect on him as before. But this time, like him, she learned to conceal some of her emotions. He couldn't read her as openly as he used to. She wasn't a wide-open book anymore. Then again, if there was one person who could ever understand Sakura, that was Syaoran.

Overtime, they'd begin to comprehend how much the other had really changed.

But for now…

Sakura stood up, having been sitting on the couch opposite of Syaoran, and walked up to him, pausing in front of him. She then leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck, enveloping him in a silent hug that Syaoran returned.

There were no words. There were no questions.

There was no need for them.

_"Eee…"_

Sakura and Syaoran froze when hearing that sigh/squeal. They both groaned, and quickly withdrew, standing up straight and turning to face the door. They didn't hear it open, and so, were not aware that Meiling and Tomoyo were standing at the door (Kero hovering), with Tomoyo holding her dreadful video camera and recording them.

Stars were in her eyes. Kero was twitching, and Meiling was grinning widely.

"Tomoyo-chaaan," Sakura whined, blushing.

"Hohoho!" Tomoyo laughed triumphantly, turning off her camera. "I'm so happy! I can finally put all of my video-taping into recording Sakura-chan and Li-kun!" Happy was putting it lightly though. Ecstatic would be a better word. After all, she went years without having these moments to tape, which means, she was getting bored.

Syaoran shook his head.

Tomoyo. Still as weird as ever.

* * *

"I don't see why you insisted on having us walk," Nakuru grumbled, brushing her hair from over her shoulders. "It's very tiring, Eriol-sama, and my feet are hurting!"

"This is good exercise," Eriol replied, smiling that calm smile of his. He glanced over the horizon. "And the sun hasn't set yet. We must waste time."

"Why do we have to wait until sunset?" Spinel Sun asked, perched on Nakuru's shoulder.

Eriol's smile widened. "Because. I'd like to arrive at exactly then. And it adds more suspense to the others."

Spinel Sun shook his head, and Nakuru rolled his eyes.

"You really are strange, Eriol-sama."

"No… Just different."

They stopped at the gates of a homely, yellow-painted home, but before they walked up the porch, they spotted a figure flying towards them.

"Nice of you to join us, Yue," Eriol greeted the Moon Guardian as soon as he set down and withdrew his wings. Yue simply nodded in acknowledgement, and the four went up the pavement, up the steps, and stopped at the door. It was completely dark the second Eriol knocked.

There was a moment of silence, followed by the rustling of the door being unlocked, and then it was pried open. Sakura, who was the one who answered it, blinked, and then grinned.

"Took you long enough, Eriol-kun," Sakura chided, taking a step aside to let the four in. None of them were wet even though it was pouring outside. And Sakura had been expecting their arrival, obviously, from the way she greeted them.

"It's nice to see you, too, Sakura-san," was Eriol's reply.

She grinned, and closed the door.

Meiling and Tomoyo were the only ones surprised by Eriol's, Nakuru's, and Spinel Sun's appearance. Syaoran was sitting calmly on the couch in a meditative state. Kero was sprawled next to him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Meiling flat-out asked, pointing at Eriol incredulously.

"Why, you act as if you don't want me here?" the half-reincarnation said, feigning hurt. He settled himself on an armchair, folding his hands together with Nakuru standing on one side, and Spinel Sun relaxing on the arm.

He smiled, waiting for everyone to get settled around him. Syaoran remained in his meditative state.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what's going on?" Eriol inquired. There were nods.

"Just spill, Hiiragizawa," Meiling stated impatiently.

He made a gesture with his hand. "What I have to say can wait until my dear kawaii descendent explains to us what you and he had encountered last night."

Everyone turned their eyes on the silent Li Syaoran. He remained frozen, before slowly opening his eyes and sighing.

* * *

_The airplane had lifted off into the air, leaving Hong Kong Airlines and heading straight for Tokyo. Meiling was sitting on the window-seat. She had to beg Syaoran to switch seats with her, since she liked to have a good view. Syaoran, although not caring where he sat, preferred to see his cousin beg, but eventually, he saved her more pride-shattering moments and gave in._

_But anyway, it was sometime during their flight when Meiling had woken up after sleeping for a bit, when she looked out her window and noticed something… dark and globby on the airplane's wing. She showed Syaoran, but as soon as he looked, it was gone._

_He claimed his cousin was going crazy._

_But after the plane set down in Tokyo, and they had gotten their stuff and went outside to call over a cab, that… dark and globby thing showed up._

_"Look, Syaoran! There!" Meiling exclaimed, tugging on his sleeve and pointing._

_He whipped around, and indeed, there was a shadow creature, lurking its way towards them with its red eyes gleaming darkly and threateningly through the darkness. Syaoran looked surprised. You couldn't blame him. You'd be taken aback, too._

_But yeah. As soon as they spotted that thing, all of the other shadows seemed to come alive – each one gliding across the ground and forming into something similar like the first one that had appeared. The creatures attacked, and Syaoran and Meiling were forced to run instead of waiting for a cab. They ran blindly towards Tomoeda, Syaoran following the feel of Kero's and Sakura's aura, letting that guide him._

_There weren't much cars driving out in Tokyo. On the contrary, everything was quiet. No one was out wandering the streets at night. Normally you'd have your stray car here and there, but… nothing. Billboards flashed colors and lights remained on in some buildings. The streetlights continued to flash red, yellow, and green. Syaoran and Meiling were the only ones running wildly down the street._

_Along with those creatures._

_The city, it seemed to be sleeping._

_Water splashed around their legs as they ran like there was no tomorrow. Some of the creatures could be seen, forming into the ground and gliding across before they formed again, pounding on all fours. But they couldn't be heard. They were silent and stealthy, hardly detectable if it weren't for their red eyes._

_Syaoran glanced over his shoulders, his golden amber eyes gleaming brightly in contrast against the night._

_"Keep going, Meiling," he shouted to her, slowing down before facing the shadow creatures._

_Meiling paused for a moment, frowning, but she did as her cousin bid and kept running._

(AN: This is when the cool music starts playing, y'know, like in movies and all with the background music. –is all giddy-)

_He dug through his shirt and pulled out the orb that hung around his neck before summoning his sword. Rain slid along the blade, drenching it. The shadow creatures slowed to a stop when seeing one of its preys had halted._

_Syaoran pulled out an ofuda, Chinese characters imprinted clearly on it. Electricity seemed to spark and jolt to life, outlining the characters before he tossed it out in front of him, slamming the tip of the sword against the paper whilst calling out:_

_"RAITEI SHOURAI!"_

_The skies flashed repeatedly, the clouds rumbling, and the rain pouring harder, before the flashes became solid bolts of electricity and struck down at the creatures. Some of them scattered, and others sunk into the ground. One of them was struck by it, but it turned into some sort of liquid, and then reformed itself._

_Syaoran scowled._

Damn it.

_They then lunged at him, like shadows trying to keep up with their solid forms, but they were shadows. So that didn't make much difference. Syaoran was ready for them though as he took a defensive stance, sword held firmly in hand. He swung his weapon in an arc as soon as they were near, the water flying and scattering like diamond shards falling slowly into oblivion. He sliced it up, slashing his way through the creatures, thus making them split before they surrounded him._

_Syaoran stood at the very center, circled by these unknown creatures. His golden amber eyes narrowed, eyeing each one warily, yet with such calmness. One of them leaped at him, a clawed-shaped hand raised. He ducked down, and stabbed his sword up. It went through the thing's abdomen, and it let out an ear splitting screech that Syaoran couldn't help but wince slightly at. The creature wrapped its hands around the sword and slowly started to push itself away from the blade. It dropped back to the floor, the narrow hole disappearing._

_It eyed Syaoran with its red eyes, and he simply returned the stare with a steady gaze before hacking his weapon down at the thing once more. It rolled to the side, and another leaped at him from behind. He twirled around and sent a roundhouse kick at the thing's head. More were encouraged, and jumped at him all at once._

_He saw their attacks before they even attacked. He saw them ready to make a move before they actually made a move. He knew where they were coming from. He knew what they were planning. He could sense what they were about to do. He was a step ahead of them, and so, therefore, ready for them._

_His sword twirled in arcs and cut smoothly through rain and through shadows. The blade buzzed, droplets of water spinning out and flying wildly through the air. Puddles of water sprayed into the air from each pounding step or run he took. Water flayed from the locks of his hair and spilled around him. His golden amber eyes remained focused on his enemies. His lips stayed locked in a firm line. No emotion showed on his face. His eyes flashed brighter._

_And still, the city remained sleeping, oblivious to the fight going out in broad nighttime. Anyone who would've taken the time to look out their windows would've noticed them fighting._

_The streetlights continued to change – Red. Yellow. Green._

_The billboard lights flashed brightly in the night, colors of blue, pink, red, and yellow gleaming in the city of Tokyo._

* * *

"…And after a while, I stopped trying and ran to catch up to Meiling," Syaoran finished off. "As soon as we made it to Tomoeda, I called Sakura. And now, here we are."

Eriol smiled, his elbows resting on either arm of the chair with his fingers folded. His eyes twinkled in obvious amusement. "Lovely story, Syaoran. I think you would be a wonderful storyteller."

The said person scowled at his ancestor.

"What happened to the creatures though when Sakura-chan came?" Tomoyo asked curiously, having recorded everything Syaoran told him. It was such a shame she wasn't actually there to record him doing the fighting. It would've made an awesome clip.

"She chased them off," Meiling piped up. "Something Syaoran wasn't able to accomplish."

Sakura sweat dropped, and Syaoran eyed Meiling.

"Ano, Eriol-kun? Want to explain what's been going on now? And what are those… creatures?" Sakura asked. Everyone faced him.

He didn't say anything at first, but instead, removed his glasses and rubbed it clean with the hem of hits shirt. He set it back on his nose, adjusting it, all the while still grinning. And then he spoke up. "…Those things are known as Shadow Demons. They live in the shadows, as you can figure out, and they're very hard to defeat. They cannot be destroyed, but simply chased off, such as you did, Sakura-chan, with the Light Card.

"When the light is turned on, the darkness disappears, hence why only light can drive away these Shadow Demons. They can only live in a dark environment, and only come out at night. The thing is…" Eriol paused at this, his gaze trained on the floor, "demons are not allowed to walk on Earth's grounds. Not even Shadow Demons. There's a gate that locks them out from our world, and separates them from us. Even if they tried, they wouldn't be able to get through it…"

"And yet, they're here," Tomoyo added, understanding where Eriol was heading with this.

He nodded. "Something or someone must have destroyed that gate. As soon as it was destroyed, demons were and are able to walk freely upon Earth, unsettling the balance between both worlds. The Earth senses this, and so do all unnatural forces. That's the reason why it's been raining these past few days: our planet is disturbed… and worried."

There was silence.

Yue was standing quietly against the wall, arms folded over his chest, and his eyes closed. Kero was sitting perched on the window sill, silent as well.

"…The unbalance of both earth and the demon realm started about exactly one hundred years ago," Eriol then continued. "World War three sparked the fall of the gate."

Meiling looked skeptical. "What would a war have to do with the unnatural?"

"Oh, but a whole lot, Meiling," Eriol replied calmly. "Much more land and casualties was lost and destroyed in world war three than was in world war one or world war two. Too much blood has been spilled on Earth, and each time this happens, our world cries. We just do not know it. Our planet's disturbed, and has been disturbed by the inhabitants of it. It's becoming weak, and as are the Four Guardians which protect our planet. As soon as either become weak, so does the strength of the gate, thus making it able to break freely through.

"And the fact that world war three was not caused by national disagreement, but instead by another unnatural force has _everything_ to do with what is going on today."

Everyone was confused now, save for four certain guardians.

"Four Guardians?"

"How?"

Eriol leaned back in his seat. "What is causing the world's power to crumble cannot be said, nor can any explanation be given by me. All will be clear in due time."

And he smiled that ridiculously mysterious smile of his.

That smile that made Syaoran wish to punch his face in, just so he'd stop smiling.

"…Why do you smile like that?" Syaoran asked irritably.

"Is there something wrong with my smile?" Eriol retorted with his own question, feigning confusion and hurt.

"Yeah, there is, actually."

"Well, that's too bad, my dear kawaii descendent."

"Why do you insist on calling me that! How much times must I tell you **_not_ **to call me that? Do you not listen to me?"

"…Hmm? Did you say something?"

"��…"

He flashed Syaoran a crooked grin.

Sakura shook her head, before interrupting, "Anyone up for a cup of tea and cookies?"

All that Eriol had told them left their minds temporarily, deciding it best not to deal with any of that stuff at the moment.

* * *

The "shadow demons" lurked freely throughout Tokyo. After having been warded away by Sakura, they retreated far, far away and back to Tokyo, from where they had chased Syaoran and Meiling. They were free to walk around. No one was around to notice them. No one was up to notice them.

Tokyo sleeps.

Not just any normal slumber. There'd still be people wandering the streets at nine o'clock at night. The streets have been deserted throughout the whole day. Only outside visitors and car poolers drove into Tokyo for work, but when they arrived…

They fell asleep, too.

Peace reigned the once usual crowded city. All that could be heard was the endless falling of rain pounding against buildings and concrete ground.

All that walked the streets were the shadow demons as Tokyo slept.

A darkness hung over the city, not just from the dull rain clouds, but from a shadow that was cast over it.

On the roof of a skyscraper, a figure could be seen, standing at the ledge in a calm posture. His cloak bellowed from the wind that blew, and rain pound incessantly against him. A hood shielded his face, hiding most of his features in shadows. All that could be seen was the satisfied smirk gleaming on pale skin. Behind this figure a billboard flashed with several ads, emitting colors of blue, hot pink, and yellow – the bright light causing the cloaked person to look but a dark silhouette.

Around the figure's neck hung a necklace. The pendant could not be seen, for it was kept in a black pouch, tightly secured at the neck with golden-red beads dangling on the ropes that bound it shut.

Thunder rumbled in the sky, and flashes of lightning danced behind the clouds. As soon as the light died down, another figure appeared next to the one on the roof. This one was sitting on the ledge, one leg dangling freely, and the other perched so that one arm was resting lazily on the knee. A violin rested at his side.

They were both watching the demons scattered across Tokyo.

"…We've waited a century for this moment, and now it's finally happening…"

"More than a century," the first figure corrected.

The second one smiled. "Yes. Quite true. Everything's going smoothly."

"Indeed…"

"You're not much of a talker."

Silence.

"…And you never were much of a talker…" The second person sighed and made a gesture with his hand. "Anyway, what are we to do now?"

"Just wait."

He turned his head a bit so he could look up at the one standing, and nodded, before turning to look back at the shadow demons.

**Tomoeda**

"I don't understand…" Sakura murmured, glancing at the clock. "Otou-san, Onii-chan, and Yukito-san should've been back by now…"

She frowned.

Nakuru nor Yue were with them anymore, having gone outside to do some scouting to see if they could find any more of those shadow demons.

"Maybe they're stuck in traffic?" Tomoyo suggested, trying to reassure her friend. "I'm sure they're fine though, Sakura-chan."

She nodded, albeit uncertainly. It never took any of them to come back home so late… Even _when_ they were running late, or stuck in traffic. That was when Nakuru came back, having barged through the door without knocking. She looked terribly pleased about something.

"You guys… will never guess what!"

Eriol raised an eyebrow.

"…Those shadow demons. Yue and I found them in Tokyo," she started, all too happily. "And not only that, but something's up with the citizens. Everyone's _sleeping._ And I mean _everyone!_ The streets are completely deserted."

Everyone looked surprised, except for Eriol, whose eyebrow raised further. "Interesting…"

"Oh no! So this means… Otou-san, and Onii-chan, and Yukito-san probably fell asleep, too," Sakura said, standing up immediately. She looked at the others. "We should go check out what's wrong."

They all agreed.

After grabbing their coats and pulling on shoes, everyone was out the door and into the pounding rain in an instant. As they ran, Sakura glanced at Eriol and Ruby Moon (Nakuru having changed into her true form). Neither of them were wet. It seemed as if the rain went right through them, instead of drenching them.

_I so have to find out how Eriol does that…_

As they ran, Kero transformed into Keroberos, and Suppi changed into Spinel Sun. Eriol had leapt on to his Sun Guardian's back, and Meiling and Tomoyo climbed on to Keroberos' back. Sakura summoned her Star Staff and called out the Fly, wings thus sprouting from the head of the staff. She hopped on to it, Syaoran hopping behind her, and the group took off into the air.

They could already see the Tokyo Tower standing tall, yet far. It was lit up, like it was every night. The whole city was lit up. From afar, it didn't seem like there was anything wrong, but as they got closer, they noticed that the bart station was no longer running, there were no cars driving, nor was there any signs of movement or life.

"Look!" Sakura exclaimed, pointing downwards as they soared over Tokyo.

Tomoyo turned her camera downwards, and everyone looked in the same direction. Shadow Demons swarmed the sleeping city, wandering around and damaging everything in sight. They all touched down on the street, Sakura calling back Fly.

As soon as they were down, the creatures started to advance towards them, hissing. Sakura whipped out a card and tossed it aimlessly forward, bringing the tip of the Star Staff slamming down on it.

_"Light!"_

A spirit of heavenly elegance flew out just as she was summoned, gliding smoothly into the night sky with hair billowing behind her. A smile was plastered on her sharp face as her bright eyes fell upon the shadowed creatures. The spirit then became a brighter color with white rays that stretched out across the streets and enveloped everything around them in whiteness.

The shadow demons shrieked and backed off, sinking into the ground and diving off to where the light could not reach them. Sakura called back Light, and she willingly returned to her card form.

"What I don't understand," Meiling started, "is why they even attacked me and Syaoran in the first place…?" Tomoyo turned her camera to the black-haired girl. "And how come everyone in the city is asleep?"

"Maybe it was Syaoran's magic that attracted them to you?" Eriol mused, looking around thoughtfully.

"And it's probably all of our magic that is attracting them to us right now," Syaoran grunted, pointing.

True to his word, the shadow demons were coming back as soon as Light disappeared.

"It's useless fighting them though," Keroberos pointed out, thus turning to Eriol. "Can't _you_ do something?"

Tomoyo turned her (waterproof) camera on Eriol. He was smiling that ever so pleasant smile of his that drove everyone, Syaoran in particular, nuts. The half-reincarnation then shrugged, and everyone sighed, shaking their heads.

"We're just going to have to tear our way through," Syaoran said. "I sense another presence up ahead."

"Let us handle this then," Keroberos said, him, Spinel Sun, Yue (having flown down to them when seeing them arrive), and Ruby Moon taking a step forward.

All four guardians lunged at the creatures. Yue sent ice shards flying at them, whilst Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun sent beams of energy towards the center. Fire formed within Keroberos' mouth, slipping through his fangs before he fired it at the demons. They all scattered, and a path was formed. The others ran after the guardians as they blasted their way through. Syaoran and Sakura remained at the rear, sending lightning bolts and flashes of light at the creatures as they tried to come in from behind.

Tomoyo was having a field day – her camera darting here and there in order to capture the excitement. Her eyes were alight with stars as she captured every single thing on film. _Just like the old days…_

And then, the sound of a fine violin being played drifted clearly through the damp air. The shadow creatures stopped, before disappearing into shadows. Everyone looked confused at first, and then Meiling pointed straight forward, and at a cloaked figure who stood beneath a street lamp, playing a violin.

They all just stood there for a while, watching the unknown person play, listening to their music, before that person stopped and brought the violin and bow down to their side. As soon as the figure did that, there was a sound of two bodies dropping to the ground, followed by the clattering of a video camera.

"Meiling! Tomoyo!" Sakura exclaimed, crouching down at their sides. "Nani…?" she mumbled, checking either of them. "…They're… They're sleeping."

"Of course they are, Card Mistress," a voice said. They all turned to look at the cloaked figure, who had stepped out from beneath the street light and approached the group. He or she stood a few feet apart from them. "I put them to sleep, just as I put the whole city to sleep."

"Why'd you do it?" Syaoran demanded.

They could've sworn they saw a smile sketched on that pale face. "Why, I needed something big to attract the attention of the Card Mistress, and of you, Li Syaoran. And I needed to make sure that those only with magic would come."

"Well, you have our attention. What is it you want from us?" Syaoran inquired, an eyebrow raising to make a perfect arch.

"I simply wanted to apologize for the hastiness of these shadow demons," the figure stated smoothly. Several red eyes glared at them from the shadows, and hisses followed in pursuit. "And for attacking you and chasing you throughout Tokyo. But I must say, it was all very amusing."

"To you, maybe," the amber-eyed teen muttered beneath his breath, before speaking up: "What else is it that you want from us?"

"Oh, I didn't really want anything," he replied casually, smiling. "I just wanted to meet you all face-to-face. I've heard many, many things about you all… Especially of Eriol Hiiragizawa. The _half_-reincarnation of Clow Reed, yes?"

Eriol grinned charmingly. "That is correct."

"Yes…" he mused. "You do hold a striking resemblance to Clow Reed…" He then smiled again. "Well, it's a pleasure to finally see you again, Clow Reed." But anyone with a good sense could hear the hint of sarcasm dripping off his voice.

"Likewise, Hyoutsuu."

"You know him, Eriol?" Sakura asked, her and Syaoran looking thoroughly confused.

The four guardians were silent.

"Since he knew Clow Reed, then yes, I know him," Eriol replied calmly, making a gesture with his hand. "Why do you insist on wearing that hood, Hyoutsuu?"

"Just a test to see if you'd recognize me without having to see my face," the said person responded. "How _did_ you recognize me though, Clow? Was it my aura? My voice?"

"Actually, it was your playing. How could I ever forget such music?"

"They sound as if they're friends," Sakura mumbled to Syaoran, whose eyes were narrowed at the two. "And I don't think this Hyoutsuu is any friend of ours…"

He could only nod in agreement.

Hyoutsuu smiled at Eriol's response, before reaching up and removing his hood. He was a handsome boy, looking to be about their age, but in reality, so much older. He had dark raven hair that reached barely past his shoulders, and golden eyes with narrowed pupils; inhuman eyes. Panther eyes. Other than his eyes that made him look different and… _unique_… was the marking below his right eye. A black marking that consisted of a circle, with a crescent moon beneath it.

"Ano, Eriol?" Sakura spoke up after having a good look at this 'Hyoutsuu.' "How do you know him?"

"That _brat _there," Keroberos interrupted, much to Sakura's and Syaoran's surprise, "is a demon. Just like those damned shadow creatures."

"Hoe… You know him, too, Kero-chan?" Sakura asked, looking more confused than ever. "Is Syaoran-kun and I the only ones who does not understand what is going on here?"

"Your magic-less friends," Hyoutsuu offered.

"And them, too, of course. But they're 'sleeping'!" Sakura huffed. "I'd like to know what is going on here?" She placed her hands on her hips and glared demandingly at everyone (other than Syaoran and the sleeping Meiling and Tomoyo, of course).

"Ahh, but knowledge is gathered overtime," Hyoutsuu stated in a matter-of-fact-tone. "Patience is virtue, in this case. Your mind will most likely overload from so much information in one night. It is best to learn one thing every now and then."

Syaoran scowled. "And who are you to tell us what is best and what is not?"

"He is right, Syaoran," Eriol cut in. "How we know him does not matter, not at the moment. What matters is getting dear Hyoutsuu to take his spell off of Tokyo."

"It's that bloody violin of his," Keroberos growled. "We have to destroy it." He crouched down, in a pouncing position, when Spinel Sun's calm voice drawled out:

"Don't be so hasty now, Keroberos. You should know by now not to be thoughtless when it comes to him."

"Oh be quiet, Su –"

"He's right, you know, Kero-chan," Sakura scolded lightly before turning to face Hyoutsuu. "Ano, Hyoutsuu-san, onegai… Can you please remove your spell?"

One of the demon's eyebrows raised, amusement glinting obviously in his golden eyes from the courtesy and manners that the Card Mistress was displaying, even to a "malicious and threatening villain," such as himself. "Why. No one's ever asked me to do something so nicely before. I think I just might remove my spell now. But not at the moment. I wouldn't want these petty humans to awake to see them," he made a gesture at the shadow demons, "or you lot, of course. Now's not the time for them to be aware of us."

He grinned widely, so his canine-like fangs on either of his eyeteeth were visible. "And I'd rather talk more with you." Hyoutsuu then made a gesture with his hand. "And you can put away your weapons. I have the shadow demons restrained, and I give you my word that I shan't attack."

Sakura looked hesitant, but transformed her staff back into the key. Eriol never summoned his staff in the first place. Syaoran was not so lenient and chose to keep his sword out. He narrowed his golden-amber eyes warily and distrustfully at Hyoutsuu.

"Cautious one, I see," the demon mused, studying Syaoran. He smiled lopsidedly. "How peculiar. You look so much like your great-great grandfather. And you remind me so much of him. That proud look; cocky and confident, and yet quite… emotionless. And those same eyes. How can I ever forget that glare?" He chuckled to himself. "What's-his-face again…? Ah yes, Li Xiao Lang. Your name-successor."

Syaoran's eyes slightly widened, interest flashing in his eyes, but that gleam was gone as soon as it came.

"It's hard to forget such a man…" Hyoutsuu trailed off, studying the silent Syaoran. His lips were pursed in a firm line, and his eyes… Those golden-amber eyes that gleamed brighter when in rage, stared at him blankly, confidently, steadily – never once wavering. And his aura beamed with the same confidence that his eyes showed. But both were concealed – his emotions and his magic. The extent on how far his emotions ran, and how strong he really was, was hidden; locked away.

His panther-like eyes then fell on Sakura Kinomoto, who blinked as soon as he looked at her.

"Hoe…?" she murmured to herself, fidgeting somewhat.

Hyoutsuu was more amused with Sakura. She seemed far too innocent to be _the_ Card Mistress; to be the successor of the Clow Cards. But of course, he knew better. Although her emotions weren't as hidden away as Syaoran's, or her expression wasn't as confident as the boy's… She still proved to be an equal to Syaoran with her powers.

…Now what was that saying again?

Never judge a book by its cover?

Yes, yes. That's it. Hyoutsuu smiled to himself. He seemed to be smiling a lot lately. He then glanced at the dark, rainy sky, before looking back at the others. "…Lovely weather we're having, yes?"

Yue remained as blank as ever. Ruby Moon rolled her eyes. Keroberos snorted and glared. Spinel Sun looked bored, as always. Syaoran looked exasperated. Sakura sweat dropped. Tomoyo and Meiling continued to sleep. And Eriol…

"Why yes, I agree," was his reply. "Wonderful day to sit inside for a cup of tea."

"I quite agree," Hyoutsuu said pleasantly.

"This is becoming boring," Ruby Moon harrumphed. "Eriol-sama, let's go now. The weather is starting to get to me. And it's not like we're doing anything here but standing and waiting to catch pneumonia…"

"_You_ lot are immune to sickness," Syaoran pointed out, eyeing Ruby Moon and the other Guardians. While they, and Eriol, weren't wet, him and Sakura, and the sleeping duo, were simply and positively drenched!

"Ah yes, of course," Ruby Moon mumbled.

"Yue-san? Nakuru-san? Can you bring Tomoyo-chan and Meiling-chan back to my place?" Sakura asked, turning to the said guardians.

"Of course! Beats staying here!" Ruby Moon chirped, picking Meiling off the ground. Yue complied quietly and gathered Tomoyo up in his arms. "Nice seeing you again, Hyou-kun!" Ruby Moon called out in a singsong voice before her and Yue unfurled their wings and took off, disappearing into the night sky.

Hyoutsuu waved them off.

"Tomoyo-chan's going to be upset when she wakes up," Sakura murmured to herself. "She fell asleep during her video-taping…"

…Anyway,

After Ruby Moon and Yue left, Syaoran pointed his sword at Hyoutsuu. "You and those… shadow demons go back to where you belong. You do not belong on earth," he commanded, tone firm.

"It is not for you to decide who belongs where, Syaoran," Hyoutsuu said, fiddling with the bow of his violin. "Who died and made _you _ruler of this planet?"

Syaoran's eyes only narrowed more.

Hyoutsuu sighed and waved his hands defensively. "Geez. You Li's can be so uptight sometimes. We'll go now, but that doesn't mean we won't be back." He then flashed a charming grin, typically in Sakura's direction, before sweeping into a polite bow and vanishing in the blink of an eye.

The shadow demons were gone as well.

"What a way to spoil our fun, Syaoran," Eriol said, feigning a disappointed sigh. "Let us go now, too, then. Knowing Hyoutsuu, he's still here in Tokyo, and will not awaken everyone until we have gone." He made a gesture with his hand. Spinel Sun crouched down on his hunches, allowing Eriol to climb on, before rising back up on all fours.

"You know, Eriol, you owe us one huge explanation," Sakura pointed out, her and Syaoran hopping on to Keroberos' back.

The Sun Guardians flew into the air and headed back to the Kinomoto Residence.

"I know, Sakura, but in due time," was his reply, his gaze trained forward, and a smile still on his face.

All three of them couldn't help but glance over their shoulders though when hearing the sound of a violin being played, drifting smoothly and clearly through the air.

* * *

Hyoutsuu watched them disappear from his perch on a skyscraper, the same one he had stood on earlier. He had his violin tucked beneath his chin and chest, playing it with such exactness and expertise of one who had years and years of practice and experience with this piece of instrument. He played his music for a while, before coming to a stop and letting his violin and bow rest on his lap.

Slowly… very slowly, like flower buds shyly peeking its way open on the first day of spring, Tokyo began to reawaken. And as soon as everyone started to reawaken, the city started to come back to life. No one seemed confused as to where they were, or what had happened to the day. It was as if… that period of time in which they slept never happened; as if their time of sleep was never wasted, but instead, completed in some way. There were no questions. Instead, previous conversations were continued. Cars that had halted in the middle of the streets started to move again. Workers returned home.

Life went on, all unaware of what had previously taken place; of what had happened.

His golden eyes trained on a little girl dashing to catch up with her mother, having fallen behind in order to tie her shoe. She was holding a yellow balloon, and not an umbrella. Her mother was the one with the umbrella. But she was wearing a raincoat.

Her balloon slipped from her grasp and fluttered into the air, the rain not being able to hold it down. The little girl cried out and made an attempt to run and catch it, but it went too high. Her mother took her hand, making a promise to buy her a new one, and the mother and daughter continued walking.

Hyoutsuu watched the balloon drift higher and higher, nearing him. He smiled, and caught the string in his grasp. He watched the yellow balloon bob side to side leisurely.

"Pop," he murmured, and pop went the balloon. It hung limply in his grasp, and Hyoutsuu let the popped balloon drop to the ground, smiling pleasantly to himself.

"So how did it go?"

Hyoutsuu didn't have to turn around in order to know who it was that stood behind him now.

"Smoothly," he replied simply. He then added: "And quite amusing. You were right. Clow Reed was amongst them, and so were the Four Guardians, along with Xiao Lang's successor, and the Card Mistress."

"But Eriol Hiiragizawa is only the half reincarnation," he reminded.

Hyoutsuu turned around to look at the standing figure, who was leaning calmly against the billboard behind him. "Who is the other half, then?"

He stared off in the distance, thoughtfully. "That… I do not know. I'm assuming he or she will make their appearance known."

Hyoutsuu nodded. "What of the Card Mistress and the Li boy?"

"What about them?"

"What are we going to do with them?"

"Why, nothing…yet."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just deal with them now?" Hyoutsuu asked incredulously.

He shook his head. "No. Not now. For none of us is at our limits yet. And when it comes to those two… _especially _since Hiiragizawa is around, things must be taken slowly. Very slowly and with caution. We can't slip up, not after waiting more than one hundred years."

Hyoutsuu didn't make any response. There was no need to. Instead, he asked one last thing: "What are we to do now?"

A smile played across the figure's face as he fiddled with the pouch hanging from his neck. "Sit back and watch."

* * *

Sakura and the others had arrived home only to find Yue, and Nakuru. Meiling and Tomoyo were awake, and with blankets wrapped around them. The two Moon Guardians had blankets ready for Sakura and Syaoran as well.

"What happened?" Meiling demanded as soon as they were in.

Kero and Spinel Sun (in their false forms), settled themselves in front of the fire.

"Let me get us some dry clothes," Sakura said, "then we'll explain." She looked at Syaoran thoughtfully. "…Hmm, you can use some of Touya's old clothes."

After she got them fresh clothes, and they all changed, the group gathered back in the living room. Yue's wings were gone, and he was leaning calmly against the wall next to the fireplace. Eriol was sitting in an armchair, and Nakuru was just coming out of the kitchen with steamy hot chocolate.

"Arigatou, Nakuru-chan," Sakura said gratefully.

"So…" Meiling started.

"What happened?" Tomoyo asked. "I think when I fell, I accidentally switched my video camera off." She let out a heavy sigh of disappointment.

"Don't worry," Sakura reassured, "you didn't miss much. It was all just talking…" And she fell into an explanation of the Hyoutsuu guy, how he had put them to sleep with the playing of his violin, what they had talked about, and that Eriol and the Guardians knew him from previous encounters during Clow Reed's time.

All (human) eyes were on Eriol once more. His sapphire eyes were trained on the flames dancing in the hearth, and he blinked, turning to look at them, as if noticing they were just looking at him. "…Nani?"

"I did say you owed us one huge explanation," Sakura pointed out. "Well, here's your chance, Eriol! Explain away!"

He simply smiled. Before he could get anything across though, the front door opened, and in walked Fujitaka, shaking his umbrella outside before closing it and removing his trench coat. He paused, and smiled pleasantly.

"Why, hello Hiiragizawa-san, I didn't know you were here," Fujitaka said. Eriol flashed a smile in return. "And I apologize for being late. It was terribly traffic in Tokyo."

Touya and Yukito have their own apartment, by the way.

Sakura creased her brows, her and everyone exchanging confused looks. Did Fujitaka not remember sleeping a whole day away…?

"Ano, Otou-san?"

"Hmm?" he could be heard, having entered the kitchen in order to make some dinner. "Hai, Sakura-chan?"

"…How was your day?"

"It was quite fine," Fujitaka responded, much to their surprise. "Although, I was a tad bit late to my first lecture. All of my other classes went fine. Then I had to go to a meeting, followed by some paperwork. And then there was that dreadful traffic."

Her father was a professor at Tokyo University, along with being an archeologist.

"Oh, alright," Sakura said, blinking.

They all came to the conclusion that him, and possibly every other Tokyo-citizen, dreamt the whole day away. It must've been a very realistic dream, too.

"Strange…" Meiling mumbled, speaking all of their thoughts.

"Strange indeed," Eriol agreed, grinning so his pearly white teeth could be seen. "Hyoutsuu is a strange man, as I'm sure you've noticed, Sakura and Syaoran. Knowing him, he made them all live in a dream-world, close to reality, and they all shared the same dream, as we share reality."

They nodded in understanding.

"But although Hyoutsuu seems lenient and careless," Eriol continued, his voice becoming soft and less casual, "he is not someone you should cross. He is a demon, as Kero-chan so kindly pointed out before. A high ranked demon. Those shadow demons are nothing compared to him."

Their ears were open. They hung on every word, waiting… anticipating… for when he'd tell them how he, or Clow Reed, knows this Hyoutsuu.

Eriol paused, noticing all of their expectant expressions, and debated whether or not he should tell them.

"Oh come now, Eriol-sama," Nakuru interjected. "Just tell them, or I'll tell them for you."

He made a gesture with his hand. "Fine, fine…"

Finally! The moment of truth…

"Clow Reed once had encounters with Hyoutsuu, and other people such as himself," Eriol explained, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, with his fingers clasped together. "About one hundred years ago, or so, was the last encounter, during the time of world war three." He then paused again, and grinned. "And that pretty much sums it up."

They all fell.

They could've figured _that_ out on their own…

But they knew there was so much more that Eriol was not telling them. And one way or another, they were going to get it out of Eriol. Somehow. Someway. They _will._

In the meanwhile –

"Did you guys fight in the war?"

"What other people are there like him?"

"Will we meet them?"

"What about Kero-chan and Suppi-chan? And Yue and Nakuru?"

"You never did tell us who the Four Guardians were –"

"Were Hyoutsuu and these other people the 'unnatural' causes of the world war you spoke of earlier?"

"Eriol!"

"Hiiragizawa!"

_"We demand to know!"_

He chuckled to himself in obvious amusement before silencing them by holding his hand up. "Is it not pretty obvious who the Four Guardians are?"

There was silence. Then it dawned on them – typically Sakura – who the Four Guardians were. Syaoran knew ever since he first brought them up. Meiling and Tomoyo just weren't so sure. Sakura looked at Yue, at Kero, and at Nakuru and Spinel Sun.

"…How come you never told me, Kero-chan!" Sakura asked, sounding appalled.

"You never asked," was Kero's reply as he smirked, settling himself on his Mistress' head.

She eyed him, before looking back at Eriol.

"And, yes, Hyoutsuu and these other people were… a factor for world war three," the half-reincarnation stated. He left it at that. Sakura and them didn't bother to ask any more questions, for they knew they would not be able to get anything more out of him.

They spent the rest of the time in silence, until:

"Dinner's ready!"

**Later On**

The fire was just barely crackling in the fire, looking dim and lost in the logs, having reduced to faint flickers of blue, orange, and red. Eriol, Nakuru, and Spinel Sun had left in order to return to the mansion they had previously occupied during the old Card Capturing days. Meiling, Tomoyo, and Syaoran were spread out in sleeping bags. One of them was not occupied.

Sakura could be seen sitting by the windowsill, Kero perched on it, and both were gazing out quietly, no words spoken.

"Kero-chan? What are we going to have to do?" Sakura questioned in a whisper, turning to look at her little guardian; her guardian who has been with her ever since she unlocked the Clow Book. "Will it be difficult?"

The teddy bear remained silent at first, before replying in the same tone of voice, "Nothing is ever easy, Sakura-chan. I'm not going to lie to you. It will prove to be difficult. Probably your most difficult challenge yet…"

He left out the fact that her card capturing days would be nothing compared to what was in store for them.

Sakura nodded slowly in understanding, then turned her gaze back outside into the rainy night. Kero sighed and fluttered his wings, preparing to go lay back down. "Let us go back to sleep now."

"You can," Sakura said, making a gesture with her hand. "I'll go sleep soon, I promise."

He nodded and fluttered off to her pillow, where he made himself comfortable.

The Card Mistress watched the rain falling, counting the days the weather has been like this. Close to a week now, she summed up, and there were no signs of it letting off.

She was silently replaying in her mind everything that had happened today.

_"Too much blood has been spilled on Earth, and each time this happens, our world cries."_

Is that why it was raining? Because Earth was crying? …Was blood being spilled this very second? This very day? Was blood being spilled everyday?

Did the Earth cry like this during World War III?

It was just now she was realizing that none of the schools, or throughout her years of schooling and taking history, was there any lessons on World War III. It was just a known fact that it had happened, but exactly what had happened was not quite known. No one questioned about it. It was something that was accepted, but just not talked about.

For anything that was unknown was never talked about – not in this century.

_"And the fact that world war three was not caused by national disagreement, but instead by another unnatural force has _everything _to do with what is going on today."_

Sakura frowned. Humans were becoming terribly close-minded. Their own close-mindedness would most likely be their own extinction, she concluded, sighing.

She decided to put all that into the back of her mind… for now. Sakura was about to stand up and slip into her sleeping back, when a flash outside caught her eye. It was a flash of several colors, that she barely noticed dashing down the street. But as soon as she saw it, it was gone.

She blinked, and shook her head.

_Must've been my imagination…_

Stifling a yawn, the Card Mistress crawled back into her sleeping bag, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

* * *

_He was standing in the middle amongst the circle of pillars with that same expression on his face – one of absolute calmness. It was hard though to tell what emotions were struggling within him, for his amber eyes were blank. But he was standing at the center, hunched over, body covered with scratches and bruises. His clothes were torn and tattered. His hair messier than normal. And he was breathing heavily. _

_He looked as if he were about to collapse. He looked so tired… so weak and vulnerable to the point that it made her heart and insides twist in agony. There was a symbol beneath him, but of what, she could not make out. She could make out the aura of a barrier that extended from pillar to pillar, keeping him encased at the very center._

_She wanted to call out his name. She wanted to reach out a hand to him. She wanted to run to him. She wanted to break this so-called barrier. She wanted to hold him and help him stand…_

_But she couldn't. She couldn't._

**To be continued.**

Fire Temptress: Godddd, this took me _forever _to write. Gotta love temporary writer's block, yeah? –grumbles- Anyway. I take back what I said about Fujitaka being the half-reincarnation of Clow Reed. I think I might have someone else. Or, I definitely will have someone else. So, in this story, let's all pretend Fujitaka is not the reincarnation of Clow Reed, 'kay?

What else, what else… Ah yes. **Thank you, everyone, to those who reviewed. **Meant lots. Here's your third chapter, Windy darling. And I hope you finished that essay of yours, Final Fantasy Princess. ..

And I know there are currently a whole bunch of gaps in this chapter. It was hard for me to write this without giving everything away. TT Not _too_ fond of this chapter.

But yeah. I hope it was still decent, nice, etc. You know. Anyway, please leave a review! And I'll see if I can get another chapter up before my spring break ends (if I don't go anywhere).

_-FT_


	4. calm before the storm

He twitched uncomfortably in his sleep, brows furrowed and eyes screwed shut.

He was moving, twisting around in the entanglements of his nightmare.

A dream? A nightmare? Or a premonition, possibly…?

…All he knew was that he could not escape it. He couldn't escape the raging fire burning within him.

He couldn't ignore the surge of darkness engulfing him.

This was his _destiny._

…but he did not know this.

* * *

when the world cries.- **Ch. III: **_calm before the storm -_Fire Temptress

* * *

Eyelids parted. The darkness was revealed. Golden eyes were all that could be seen in the void. A rustle of clothes. Someone stalking across the room; heavy boots clanking in muffled gasps. Doors were opened, and the same person with the golden eyes now came walking down the empty staircase. He stepped out into the open world where the silence embraced him. 

The rain continued to fall. The sky continued to cry, although the reason was unknown. But he knew why the earth cried this night, and the previous night, and the night before that, and all the past days. He knew why.

He could feel the restlessness of the occupants of this blue planet; of the anxiety building up in the magical beings scattered about as the day progressed on. _These _"special" people, the magical ones, who were more in tuned with the supernatural and the happenings of the planet itself, knew something was wrong. They did not know what. But he did.

There was another being prancing freely about across the earth's crying sky. He could sense its own restlessness – its eagerness, its readiness and agitation to be let free. One would think it is free, considering its freedom of frolicking about in the rain, but no. It needed to let its presence be known for _all… _it was just waiting for the signal.

And the second he stepped out, exposed to the world, the aura of light seemed to grow brighter, indicating its rise of impatience and anxiety. His smile mirrored the amusement in his eyes.

"Impatient, aren't we?" he slurred lazily.

It flared out, stating an obvious **yes.**

"Mmm… Patience is virtue," Hyoutsuu scolded playfully. The aura danced about in annoyance. He laughed, and made a gesture with his hand. "Fine, fine. Go on. It's time now."

There was a mighty blare of eagerness and energy all at once. That was all the bidding it needed, for, in a blink of an eye, it was gone.

* * *

Eyelids fluttered. Jaded eyes were revealed through the darkness of the air. 

Frightened eyes.

Pupils contracted. Sweat perspiring on the sides of her face. Strands of auburn hair clung to the dampen skin.

And then those frightened eyes searched frantically through the darkness of early morning, as if looking for someone to be reassured that it all was just a dream.

And that one person she was looking for was not there. A sleeping bag and pillow lay forgotten.

Her breath hitched.

She kicked off her own blankets and stood up, quietly tiptoeing through the living room and over the scattered bodies. She couldn't recognize any of the sleeping faces. She was too anxious and scared to have anything register, other than that she had to know where he was.

She checked up stairs. She checked in the bathrooms. She checked in her room. She checked in closets and in the kitchen. She checked the basement. She checked back in the living room, but could not find him. She just didn't bother to check outside. Who would go outside, anyway? It was raining.

...But _he_ would.

She tore open the front door, the gentle sounds of rain falling reaching her ears.

_Pit-pat._

And she saw him standing right there, on the front porch, protected by the outstretched overhead of a ceiling held up by wooden pillars.

_Pit-pat._

His back was to her, hands resting on the railing. She smiled to herself, relieved, when seeing him standing there, and she leaned her shoulder against the frame of the door.

Her fears were thus gone – somewhat. He was there, standing, as fine as ever, unlike in her dream.

It nagged at her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind… for now.

"You're up early."

She blinked, and then made a face at the back of his head, one hand resting on her jutted hip. "So?"

Syaoran turned to glance at her with teasing amber eyes. "I'm surprised."

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him before walking over and standing next to him. He turned back around so they were both facing out silently towards the sheets of white rain falling from the gray clouds. They were silent. It was nothing awkward. There was no such thing as awkwardness when it came to them.

"Why _are_ you up early?" Syaoran asked, thus breaking the silence.

She thought back to her dream, wondering whether to tell him or not. It _was_ about him, after all, and if he were in any sort of trouble, she _should_ warn him so he could be ready... yes?

"I had a dream," she started.

He raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"I can't remember everything in detail," she continued, staring off into the distance. "But… Ano… It was about you…"

He looked terribly interested now. "Oh? Sakura, what _were _you dreaming?" Syaoran asked in a playful manner, eyes glinting and lips curved in a mischievous way.

Sakura blinked, before flushing. "Hoe…! Iie, Syaoran! Not that! I wasn't – I'd never…! …Hooeee…"

He laughed. "I was kidding. Carry on."

She huffed beneath her breath, eyed him some, before continuing. "Well, there were like… all these pillars… a circle of them – and you were in the center, and," she paused, "…you were hurting. I don't know. That's all I can recall, really."

He frowned thoughtfully, leaning over the railing so his elbows were resting on it and his hands were dangling out in the open air. Sakura remained quiet, gnawing on her bottom lip as she studied his profile. She wondered how he could look so calm, even after what she just told him. Normally such premonitions always came true, and if this means something terrible is going to happen to him…

She looked down, her hands gripping the railing rather tightly.

Sakura wouldn't be able to live with herself if he got hurt, and she did nothing.

"Whatever it is," Syaoran suddenly spoke up, pulling her out of her thoughts, "I'm sure it'll end up fine."

She looked at him again only to find him staring down at her with reassuring amber eyes, with those same comforting eyes that would remind her that everything _will _be fine, just as they did long ago when they were younger and capturing the Clow Cards and converting them under her name. But she didn't need to be told to figure out that what was in store for them was far more difficult and dangerous then capturing magical cards.

But still. All her worries seemed to vanish momentarily from his heart-warming gaze.

Sakura smiled at him and nodded.

"Hai."

After all, things _always _turn out fine, even in the most hopeless of situations, right?

…Right?

_Stop thinking so negatively, Sakura. _She silently scolded herself, reminding herself that Syaoran is never evereverever wrong.

…_And since when did I start thinking negatively anyway!_

She furrowed her brows, mentally kicking herself.

…

_And now I'm talking to myself, too. Great._

So, with that, she decided to drop it. As soon as she did, it was then something about the rain that caught her attention. Syaoran was already staring tentatively out there, having gone quiet. She looked at him questioningly, and then out to the sky. Not only was Syaoran quiet, but so was the _world. _

_And _it wasn't raining anymore.

Just like that. It stopped.

"How… odd…" Sakura mumbled, but her words seemed oddly muffled in the silent atmosphere, for not even the wind stirred.

Everything came to a standstill, as if they were apart of a movie and someone rose up from the couch and pressed pause in order to take a quick bathroom break. Sakura and Syaoran even found themselves standing still, holding their breaths as not to disturb whatever supernatural force had caused this. But the clouds continued to shift, albeit quietly, and as they turned their gazes to the sky, they couldn't help but notice a slight dent amongst the clouds where they all gathered and spiraled around.

In this dent a dim, pale glow emitted. Syaoran stepped off from the porch, and Sakura followed, keeping close to him. Their eyes were trained on this glow, watching it grow even brighter to the point it looked white. Something was forming in there.

Syaoran narrowed his eyes, and Sakura stepped closer to him.

"Syaoran…? What's going on?" she asked quietly, never once tearing her gaze from the sky.

"I don't know…" he replied honestly, brows furrowed.

"I think it's best if we all head inside," a voice spoke up.

Both of them looked over to find Eriol and his Guardians walking up to them. He was smiling pleasantly, as if everything was the same and the sun was out and shining. Nakuru and Spinel Sun were bickering, the smaller Guardian perched on the other's shoulder. Eriol approached Sakura and Syaoran whilst the Guardians went on inside. He gestured at them.

"Come on. Inside we go."

"Ano… Eriol --," Sakura started, pointing up at the sky.

"Inside, Sakura-chan! We don't have all day," Eriol chided in a singsong voice. He herded them up the porch, and just as they walked from the spot from which they previously stood, a lightning bolt struck from the glow in the sky and crashed right on the piece of land they were at.

Debris was sent scattering about, and both Syaoran and Sakura jumped back in surprise.

"Hoe…!"

"What the he –"

As soon as the debris and smoke cleared up, some sort of… _creature _could be seen crouched in the small crater which the bolt of lightning had created. It was scowling at them, hissing with fangs bared. Eriol had his Sun Staff in hand, it miraculously appearing out of nowhere. He remained smiling, but with the staff pointed threateningly at this creature.

Sakura stared at it in awe and curiosity. It looked like one of her own Cards when released in its true form, for lack of better words and description. It was small, and its skin was a rather pale and gloomy looking blue. Silver hair cascaded along its shoulders, and it wore a single body suit that clung tightly to its figure. The diamond patters on its outfit looked the same color as its skin. It was crouched over in a pouncing position, claws outstretched and fangs exposed.

The most physical feature of this creature that stuck out the most were its eyes – its deep black eyes that seemed to swim with an empty void of sorrow and emptiness.

It lashed out a claw at Eriol's staff, as if to drive him back, but he was rooted firmly on the spot. His sapphire eyes held the creature's own gaze. Calmness emitted from Eriol. It even showed in his eyes.

"Not now, my friend," was all the half-reincarnation said to the creature.

It looked at him, and then materialized into tiny particles that formed into an aura of blue. It leaped into the air and disappeared behind the clouds. The glow that was in the sky had disappeared as well, and the clouds resumed shifting. A gentle, barely noticeable breeze stirred across the world. The rain didn't come back, and an eerie calmness settled on the world once more.

Eriol's Sun Staff disappeared, and he turned back around, only to find the skeptical and puzzled gazes of Sakura and Syaoran staring at him. He held up a hand before they could bombard him with questions.

"Inside."

* * *

"We heard a boom," Meiling's sleepy voice greeted them as soon as the three were in. Nakuru and Spinel Sun had roused the sleeping Meiling and Tomoyo. 

"It was just lightning," Eriol said, settling himself on the armchair.

"Just lightning?" Meiling repeated, looking skeptical. She yawned, and stretched. "Lightning doesn't make noises."

"Well, this one did," Syaoran muttered, slumping down on the couch.

Kero fluttered from his spot on the windowsill and settled himself on Sakura's shoulder just as she wandered into the kitchen to make everyone some tea. He had seen everything from the window.

"Kero-chan? Do you know what that was?" Sakura asked, setting the kettle on the stove and leaving the water to boil. He didn't answer, but simply sat there looking deep in thought whilst she gathered some tea cups and waited for the kettle to heat up.

It let out an uncanny wail, and Sakura switched the stove off. She poured the water into the teacups before mixing the tea into them.

"Well, Kero-chan?"

"It's… like the Cards," he replied thoughtfully, paws crossed and one placed on his chin. He creased his tiny brows. "But…"

Kero trailed off, before making a gesture with his paw.

"Hiiragizawa will explain."

She nodded and carried the cups out on a tray. She set it down on the coffee table before settling herself down next to Syaoran. Tomoyo and Meiling sat around the table, gladly taking the tea. Eriol reached down for one and everyone simply watched him with intense gazes.

He brought the cup to his lips.

He took a sip of it.

His eyes were closed.

"…"

He cracked open one eye, and then sighed and rolled them. Eriol sat back, explaining to Tomoyo and Meiling about what had happened outside. Now that they were caught up, he could explain to them what that creature was.

"Back when Clow Reed had created the Clow Cards," he started, removing his glasses. His sapphire eyes looked darker than normal as he took on a more… reflective sort of mood. "…He had created a few other Cards as well."

Sakura frowned.

"You mean… there's another deck of cards?"

He shook his head. "No, no. Not another deck. This is just a small number of cards to be considered a deck. They were extra cards. _Wild _cards. He didn't include them in the Clow deck as he originally planned, because these ones weren't as well under control as the others were…"

"_What are you going to do with them, Clow-sama?"_

"_Hmm, good question, Keroberos."_

_There was silence, and then:_

"_I just know I can't let these cards fall into the wrong hands."_

"_But aren't the other cards _already _in the wrong hands?"_

_A joke. A chuckle._

"_My, my, Keroberos. Do you not trust me?"_

_A snort._

"_But of course."_

"_Wouldn't it be best to just destroy the cards?" Another voice._

"_Hmm, yes, it would be. But not even I can destroy these cards."_

"_You created them, did you not? So don't you have the power to destroy them?"_

"_I created them, yes, but I cannot destroy them. I did not create them to be destroyable."_

"…_You're impossible sometimes."_

_Clow Reed laughed, eyes twinkling albeit darkly behind his spectacles. He set the thirteen cards down – these thirteen, unique but wild cards which could go on any sort of rebellious spree._

"_I may have created them to be indestructible," Clow Reed started, "but they aren't unstoppable."_

_He plucked the first card and studied it, smiling to himself. A small little creature stared back with such sad and empty eyes, that, when released, it would send a torrent of emotions running through anyone. Silver hair framed its gloomy blue skin. There was a star imprinted on the top of the card, a star with thirteen points. It was a golden star, and a bigger version was engraved in the back. The card itself was red, just like all of the Clow Cards originally were. _

_At the bottom of the sad little figure in the card, _**The Sorrow **_was written._

"So they're stoppable?" Syaoran asked, more like stated. "Then how are we to stop them?"

Eriol's gaze fell on Sakura. "She will have to lock them, as she had done with the Clow Cards, but she mustn't convert them. These cards aren't to be converted, or else they will consume you."

"Consume me…?" Sakura repeated, confused.

"If you sign these cards under your name," Kero started to explain this time, "you will slowly become apart of them. They will become apart of you. You will start feeling as they will feel, and the way they feel is nothing compared to your cards. While your cards were created with good intentions, these ones were not. These are wild cards – _evil_ cards, for lack of better word. They will drain you of any good will, suck it up and possibly kill you.

"It's like signing your name to the devil," the Sun Guardian concluded, "you'll be signing your name, but also your soul."

"But even by _capturing _them," Syaoran started, not liking anything that they were saying the least bit, "wouldn't they still be apart of her? She'll be using her energy to do that, and it takes energy to keep them locked up. Wouldn't they just take that and drain her?"

Kero sighed, and nodded. "Yes, it would. But if they were to do it that way, it would take slower and longer – whereas her signing her name and converting them fully under her wouldn't take all that long."

"But what about after she's done capturing them? Is she just going to keep them and wait to die?" Syaoran asked, standing up and glaring – typically at Eriol, even though he wasn't the one explaining.

Sakura grasped on to the sleeve of Syaoran's shirt, tugging at it and saying, "I'm sure we'll figure out something when that time comes, Syaoran."

He looked down at her, before looking back at Kero. He had left Sakura's shoulder the second he started speaking, and sat himself on the coffee table. He nodded in agreement to what Sakura said.

"We'll have to wait and see how things turn out."

Syaoran sighed, muttered something about the stupidity of it all before sitting back down. Tomoyo frowned and spoke up, "So there's thirteen of these cards? Do you remember what each card is?"

Eriol shook his head. "No, I do not. The first card is the only one I remember because it is the last one I had looked at… and the one we had encountered outside."

He placed his glasses back on and weaved his fingers together.

"If these cards fall into the wrong hands," Eriol said quietly, but everyone heard, and everyone listened, "…then the results won't be all that pretty."

"So we can't let Hyoutsuu and whatever other demons to these cards," Sakura stated, smiling. "Which means, all we have to do is capture them first, and everything will be fine."

"It won't be all that easy," Spinel Sun warned. "These demons will stop at nothing to prevent you from doing so. Not all of them abide to Hyoutsuu as the shadow demons do. Most of them are wild and dangerous, and will most likely _help _these cards."

"But what will they gain from helping these cards?" Meiling asked skeptically.

"The freedom to walk on earth," Nakuru responded simply. "These cards is what broke the Gate separating the Underworld and Earth from clashing."

"But then how come there aren't demons swarming Earth right this minute?"

"Ooh, but they are. We just do not notice. It takes time for these things to fully be obvious. And they're waiting for the right moment to pounce and attack."

"And what moment is that?"

She shrugged. "No idea, but I'd rather not wait and see."

* * *

The clouds moved listlessly beneath his feet, shifting across the sky and touring the world. It was nighttime now and the moon beamed brilliantly behind him. No one on earth could see the moon as it was now, nor could they see it as close as he was seeing it at the moment. Angelic wings were unfurled from his back, hanging against the wind to allow him to hover in midair. 

Strands of silver white hair whipped gently across his face, moving along with the flow of the wind. His bangs swayed, casting shadows across his eyes, before he shifted around so silver blue eyes were revealed. Silver.

Just like the color of his hair; of the moon.

Loose feathers drooped away from his wings before being caught by the breeze.

His piercing cold eyes traveled across the blankets of clouds, before landing on the creature sitting crouched on one of them, as if the cloud were solid ground. Its black eyes stared blankly up at him. Normally, such eyes would take anyone by surprise.

But he wasn't affected.

"Indestructible…" the angel-like man murmured aloud, his voice soft and quiet, yet cold as ice, "but not unstoppable."

The creature tilted its head at him.

Yue held out a pale hand. Particles of icy blue danced around before forming into ice shards. His expression remained placid and blank. "I won't let you hurt my Mistress," he said simply, throwing the shards at the creature.

It leaped into the air, avoiding the shards just as they flew beneath its feet. It twirled around smoothly, before coming down and landing on Yue's shoulders. It held on to either sides of his head, its claws just barely piercing through his scalp. It caught Yue's icy look with its own empty one.

_Even one with a heart as icy as yours can feel sorrow, _was the silky voice he heard in his head.

Yue looked at it coldly. "Wrong," was all he said, clutching the back of the creature's outfit before throwing it off. It flipped and landed cat-like on all fours.

And then, suddenly, the creature seemed to sink into the clouds as if it were quick sand, and just like that… vanished from view. Yue narrowed his eyes, but remained in one spot. He let his aura flare out like tendrils, trying to locate where the creature went to. He closed his eyes, and then they snapped open.

Behind him.

He whipped around, but it wasn't there, much to his surprise. But then he felt it pounce on him from behind, its hands covering his eyes. He struggled to throw it over its head, but it latched itself firmly to him.

_You seem to care a lot about your Mistress, _its voice invaded his mind once more. _Even more than your creator, Clow Reed. _

Yue remained quiet.

_Now what would happen… _its voice seemed to lower itself into a whisper, _if your Mistress were destroyed? How would you feel, Yue? _

"…"

…_Let's find out, shall we?_

There was a flash of blue before his eyes, even though they were closed, and images started to flood his mind – images of his Mistress, of _Sakura _suffering, of her slowly being drained of whatever life she had before dying. He knew it all to be false images that this creature, Sorrow, sent running through his mind, but the emotions were being forced upon him as well, and before he knew it, he was overwhelmed by a sudden feeling of heart-wrenching agony, of sadness like no other.

He was reminded of his first Master, Clow Reed, dying.

His wings gave way and he plummeted down, Sorrow still clinging on to him. The feeling of utter helplessness, of complete sorrow and sadness washed across him like a powerful wave, continuously beating down on him so he was left… well… helpless. The emotions were suffocating him, welling inside of him and only growing larger. His heart beat fast within his ribcage, as if just about ready to tear through his flesh.

He couldn't breathe. All of his energy seemed to drain from him.

And he was falling.

"Sakura…"

* * *

She was standing at the window, staring out into space and looking rather lost in thought whilst musing over the previous conversation they all had. Kero was on her shoulder once more, and Syaoran stood next to her, although leaning back against the wall beside the window. 

He was scowling.

And Sakura couldn't help but look at him and smile in amusement, reflecting back to their Card Capturing days when he always scowled in such a way. He lifted his gaze and blinked. "What're you smiling at?"

Her smile widened, and she shrugged. "Nothing, Syaoran."

He looked at her, and then frowned. "Aren't you worried?"

Sakura raised a cool eyebrow, mimicking his usual calm façade and quoting from him: "I'm sure it'll end up fine." And she flashed him her own reassuring grin.

Syaoran couldn't help but smile slightly before shaking his head, and left it at that. While she'll be busy worrying about him, he'll be busy worrying about her. It all balanced out in the end, just like it always did.

"But I don't get it," Tomoyo's voice interrupted them. They turned around to look at Tomoyo as she addressed Eriol. "Wasn't her staff created _only_ to capture the _Clow Cards _and to convert them under her name?"

"So you're saying… it might not be able to capture these other cards?" Meiling finished off, before turning to Eriol with the same quizzical look.

"This is true," Eriol reassured. "But –"

_Sakura._

Her head snapped up, and she gasped out, "Yue!"

Everyone turned to her.

"What about him?"

"He's in trouble," Kero finished off. Him and Sakura were out the door in a heartbeat. The others followed and everyone filed out.

Kero's wings grew themselves out, fluttering and hugging him before pulling apart to reveal his true form. Both he and his Mistress looked around hastily, trying to locate where the other Guardian was. Nakuru and Spinel Sun transformed as well, before Nakuru pointed up to the sky.

"Look!"

That's when they saw him falling, struggling to pry off something latched on to his back. The creature. Keroberos beat his wings and flew to the sky, growling out: "Yue!"

Fire formed in his mouth, fire which he wanted to throw at Sorrow, but he couldn't without hurting Yue, so he pulled back. Back down, Sakura clutched on to the Star Key dangling around her neck. She held it in her palms, but didn't summon her staff. Instead, she closed her eyes.

"Windy," she whispered. "Save Yue."

Syaoran looked at Sakura and watched in confusion, before his eyes went wide as he watched the elemental spirit flow from the Key. A smile was on her ghostly face, and she soared straight into the air, flying circles around Yue and the creature. She blanketed them, thus stopping their fall. Sorrow lifted its head up and glared at Windy, before releasing Yue and lunging at her.

The spirit disappeared.

Yue continued falling, but instantly spread out his wings and composed himself, reeling himself back into the air before he fully lost control and crashed into the ground. He flew down to his Mistress' side, who looked up at him in concern.

"You alright, Yue?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Syaoran was still looking at Sakura, before looking at the creature. Someone else was apparently training hard in the time they've been apart. He smiled to himself.

"Now how am I supposed to capture this thing?" Sakura asked, turning to Eriol.

"Well, first you're going to have to fight it," he pointed out and at Sorrow.

It came lunging down at him, fangs bared and claws ready to lash down at whoever it reached first. A pillar of fire came flying from the side and crashed against the creature, sending it off track and sliding across the ground. It was Keroberos. He beat his wings and flew at it, firing another one. The creature picked itself up and leaped into the air, Keroberos following in pursuit.

Down below, Tomoyo was taping.

"I haven't felt such excitement since… since… I don't know when," she said out loud, going starry-eyed.

"Can I fight, Eriol-sama?" Nakuru asked, sounding completely bored.

"No, Nakuru," Eriol replied, smiling at her. "Kero-chan's currently busy with our little friend."

She pouted. "Oh fine… I don't see why _he _gets to have all the fun…" She huffed.

"Neither do I," Syaoran stated, pulling his orb from around his neck. It transformed into that famous sword of his. He watched with intense amber eyes as Keroberos fired flame after flame at the wild card, and it simply dodged them all. It was playing with the Guardian, that's what it was doing.

He pulled out an ofuda.

"_KASHIN SHOURAI!"_

Bright red outlined the characters imprinted on the ofuda, lighting up before flames erupted from it. It flew straight at the creature and slammed into it, completely knocking it off guard. Keroberos took this time to send another pillar of fire at it.

It dropped from the air and to the ground, steam emitting from its seemingly fragile frame. It struggled to get up. Sakura rushed at it, staff out, and she was just about ready to capture it and turn it to its card form when it lifted its sad gaze to her, leaving her taken aback.

Before she could make any other reaction, it vanished before her eyes.

"…Hoe?"

King Penguin Park

"I don't understand…" Sakura murmured. "When I looked into its eyes, I felt… _sad_ and _sorry _for it."

"The cards were created to make you feel as they feel," Kero pointed out, looking at Yue. "And I'm sure you got a full taste of what it felt like."

The angel simply nodded.

"So these cards can make you feel things?" Sakura questioned, brows creased. "Even things you never felt before?"

"You could say that," Kero said, making a gesture with his paw. "But we've all felt everything, even if once in our lives. They dig deep into you, and make you remember what this feeling felt like, but ten times stronger."

Sakura rocked herself gently on the swing, holding on to the chains as she stared intently at the ground. Syaoran sat on the one next to her, whilst Kero sat on her lap and Yue stood on the side of the swing set, leaning resolutely against the pole. Meiling and Tomoyo had gone to Tomoyo's place, seeing as how she hadn't been home at all throughout the day – Spinel Sun tagging along to "escort" them in case of any danger. Nakuru and Eriol headed back to their own mansion.

"_I'm not needed here," _was Eriol's explanation to leaving. _"Anything that needs to be explained, Kero and Yue can do. But I'll come back, don't worry."_

"…How is Sakura supposed to capture them then?" Syaoran asked skeptically. "Her Staff was only created for the Clow Cards."

"True," the Sun Guardian said, nodding. "But in order for Sakura to capture them…" He turned his beady black eyes up to his Mistress, "she is going to have to feel like them, but not to the point she lets these emotions consume her."

"So, you're saying, put her life at risk?" Syaoran retorted, furious once more.

A vein pulsed in Kero's forehead. "I don't like the idea as much as you do, kid, but it's the only way."

"Well I don't like it."

"Tough luck," was Kero's smart response. He fluttered his tiny wings and flew up to Syaoran's face, calmly saying, "Listen, Chinese Gaki, Sakura-chan's not the same kid ya used to know. She's stronger. Ya aren't the only one who spent these past few years training. I know she can do this."

Syaoran frowned, before looking away.

Kero placed his paws on his hips, and flew back to Sakura's lap. She looked at the two, and sweat dropped.

"You two… are still the same," she commented, patting Kero on the head.

"It's not my fault _he's _still a brat," the guardian muttered beneath his breath.

"And it's not my fault _he's _an idiot," was Syaoran's own comment.

"What did ya say, Chinese Gaki!" Kero roared, bringing himself to Syaoran's face once more.

Glares were exchanged. Sparks flew.

"You heard me, Stuffed Animal!"

"Tryin' t'start somethin', are ya!"

"And what if I am!"

"Well you're goin' down!"

And in a blink of an eye, Kero turned into his beast form, knocked Syaoran off the swing and on to his back, before sitting on him with a: "Hmph."

"Get off of me!" Syaoran demanded, red in the face.

"NOT until you say… uncle," came Kero's smug reply.

"…"

The boy stared at the beast incredulously.

"Never!"

"Then I ain't getting off!"

"Ya know, you're heavier than you used to be. Eating much?"

"…"

Kero sat up, and then sat back down, earning an "Oomf," from Syaoran.

The boy propped himself up on one elbow, resting his chin on his palm. He looked up at Sakura. "Can you tell your overweight Guardian to get off of me?"

Sakura brought up a hand, stifling her laughter. "…Kero-chan, get off of Syaoran."

"What! No!"

"_Kero-chan…_"

He muttered words beneath his breath, something that sounded oddly like curses. He resumed his false form, and just as Syaoran was getting up, he flicked the tiny Guardian, thus causing him to roll through the air before composing himself. He sent a glare at the boy and shook a fist. The boy returned the glare, and sparks flew once more.

Sakura smiled, and looked up at her Moon Guardian. "Ne, Yue… It stopped raining."

He nodded, his silver eyes trained on the clouds still looming overhead.

She looked up as well.

"…A storm is coming though," Yue murmured.

"Hai."

And it was obvious that a storm was coming. The clouds made the night look darker, if possible. Storm clouds, that's what they were, and amongst those clouds, rain and lightning were forming. Thunder was brewing and rumbling within them. The eerie calmness that had settled was being swept away by the quickening pace of the wind. By morning, the storm would be here.

Kero and Syaoran stopped their bickering in order to observe the clouds.

Syaoran eventually broke the silence, "Let's go head to the apartments. I haven't checked in yet."

"The apartments?" Sakura looked at him. "Like where you used to stay?"

He nodded. "Our," meaning him and Meiling, "luggage probably got sent to our room after we left it at the airport."

Sakura nodded and beamed. "Kero-chan and I can help you unpack."

"…What! How come _I _have to help? Why can't Yue help, too!"

They all looked at the silent Guardian.

"…I'll be keeping watch outside," he stated, letting out his wings before taking flight into the air, heading to the apartment complex.

Kero glared after his fellow Guardian.

* * *

It stalked calmly through the night, first an aura of blue, before showing itself in its true form. It looked lost in the night as it leaped from building to building, unnoticed by the humans going about with their daily business. Tokyo, this city was called. 

It stopped at a certain building where two cloaked figures were at – one sitting, with a violin, the other standing, arms crossed.

Hyoutsuu being one of them.

As soon as the creature landed at the ledge of the building, Hyoutsuu reached out and clutched on to the collar of its outfit.

"Back so soon?" he asked, almost chided.

It grabbed on to Hyoutsuu's wrist.

_I could have gotten captured._

"The Card Mistress doesn't even know how to capture you yet," Hyoutsuu retorted.

_I need to be sure the others are out._

"Oh, but they are…" the demon slurred out.

_How would you know? I was the only one out of the others that you could find._

"Yes, and I can throw you and lock you in the Underworld –"

_You know full well I can get out of there. I was able to break free of my imprisonment, was I not?_

"That's only because the spell finally wore off." The spell that kept cards in their card forms – the same spell that broke and let loose all of the Clow Cards years ago. After Clow Reed's death, that spell wore off, before gradually breaking.

_But that's just as a card. If you 'lock' me in the Underworld, I can easily get out. It's easy…_

"Enough, you two," the second cloaked figure interrupted, sounding rather irritated. Hyoutsuu and Sorrow exchanged looks, before looking at the man who just spoke. "You will go and finish what you started," he said simply to the creature.

It nodded and pulled away from Hyoutsuu, sending him a glare before leaping down the building and disappearing.

"But what if it destroys them before we can get a chance at them?" Hyoutsuu asked, frowning.

The man in the cloak smiled, albeit calmly. "I doubt that will happen. It's doing as I want it to do."

"And what's that?"

"It's helping us to learn what the Card Mistress and the Li boy are capable of."

* * *

"…Well, here we are." 

All three stood at the entrance of the apartment, staring at the empty living room. The furniture was already set up before his arrival. And true to his word, Syaoran's and Meiling's luggage were there, along with boxes. Kero eyed the packages, before flying in and settling himself on top of one. Syaoran shut the door behind him and Sakura, Sakura clapping her hands together.

"Well, let's get unpacking!"

They did just that, although Kero was mostly lazing around. While Syaoran fixed up his room, Sakura took care of the living room, putting the dishes in their appropriate places, along with pictures and extra stuff they had brought along. Lots of the ones they had were taken back during the Card Capturing days, the rest were pictures of their family.

She smiled to herself, remembering Yelan, and all of Syaoran's sisters.

"The kid's gonna have to go grocery shopping soon," Kero mumbled, snapping Sakura out of her thoughts. He had opened the fridge, and then closed it.

She laughed. "He just moved in, Kero," Sakura pointed out.

"Yeah, I know, which is why I said he needs to go grocery shopping soon. An empty fridge? Ridiculous," Kero remarked, shaking his head.

She laughed again before standing, heading off into Syaoran's room. She peeked her head in to find most of his stuff already put up. He was sitting on the ledge of his bed, crouched over and rummaging through a box. He lifted his head up when hearing someone come in.

"Done with the living room," Sakura said, grinning. "Need any help here?"

"Nah, that's alright," Syaoran replied, smiling. "Thanks though."

She walked in and sat next to him, tilting her head in order to look at what's in the box. There was just a bunch of other extra stuff, and one particular thing caught her eye. Sakura reached down and plucked a flat looking piece of board – something similar to Chinese Checkers – out of the box.

"I remember this!" Sakura exclaimed, looking at Syaoran's Lasin Board in amusement, reflecting upon the first day she had ever seen him use it.

He looked up, and sweat dropped, a blush tainting his cheeks. "Yeah…"

She traced the designs on it with her fingers, smiling, obviously lost in thought. She remembered that day at school when he had approached her, accusing her of having the Clow Cards – which he wasn't wrong for, and the dreams she used to have about him falling and falling, sword in hand, expression as stoic as ever. She recalled how he had tried to take the Cards from her, but then Touya came along.

Sakura giggled to herself.

"What's so funny?" Syaoran asked, raising a skeptic eyebrow at her.

She shrugged. "Oh, nothing."

Back then, when he first arrived in Tomoeda, they were nothing but rivals. He accused her of being weak, and needing help, but boy did she prove him wrong.

And then eventually, they just became friends… and that friendly feeling developed into something more. Something that neither of them could deny. _Love. _They _loved_ each other. Past tense…? She didn't know whether Syaoran still felt the same, not after years of being apart. He never mentioned anything, so neither did she. She turned to look at him, studying his profile as he busied himself pulling things out of the box and putting them away.

Her jaw clenched tight. She needed to know.

…_I still love him._

She wasn't going to deny it. Not after being apart from him for so long. He was all she thought of everyday. Him. Li Syaoran. The boy who captivated her heart, held her interest, and was there by her side through thick and thin. He, the boy who once thought of her as nothing but weak. He, the boy who became someone even better. He, the boy whose smile made her warm inside. The boy who was there since the beginning.

The boy who once told her he loves her.

The boy who picked her up and reassured her everything will be fine. The boy who helped her capture the Clow Cards. The boy who helped her convert them under her name. The boy who believed in her.

Li Syaoran.

The boy who owned her heart.

"Syaoran…"

Sakura broke the silence, and he turned to her once more, only to find her looking at the ground.

"Hai, Sakura?"

She bit her lip. "I… I need to know…"

"Need to know what?" He looked quizzical.

…And then before she could possibly get anything out, thunder boomed outside, followed by a flash of lightning that lit the whole sky. Sakura let out a surprised "HOE," jumping on to Syaoran and clinging to him for dear life. He blinked, and went red.

But he didn't have time to think much of it. The wind outside was howling – wailing, even. Rain could be heard pouring, pounding off the ground and roof. There was another loud thunder that shook them to the core. The storm came sooner than expected. And they both knew this was a call from that… creature, Sorrow. They exchanged looks, and it was _just _then that Sakura realized how close they were. Their noses were just mere centimeters from touching.

Their gazes were locked, both finding themselves lost in a whole other world.

One lost in emerald, the other lost in warm amber…

Really, they were so close that if Sakura moved any closer, their lips would touch.

…

"LET'S GO," Kero bellowed out, bursting into the room.

Sakura jumped off of Syaoran, both leaping to their feet. Kero froze, eyes narrowed. Their faces were terribly red as they composed themselves. Kero glared, and then another thunder boomed.

He'd have to deal with the brat later.

They went outside where Yue was waiting for them, Kero transforming into his true form as soon as they were outside. Sakura summoned her Star Staff, and Syaoran his sword. The second they came outside, they were greeted by rain, wind, and more rain. Sakura frowned. "How are we supposed to fight in this weather?"

"No room for complaining," Keroberos pointed out, nudging his head. They looked to where he nudged it at.

The creature came stalking down on all fours, and the second it spotted them, it came bounding at full speed. A bow and arrow made up of blue energy formed in either of Yue's hands, and he loaded the arrow to the bow. He aimed, scrutinized, and then released it. The arrow soared smoothly and struck the creature's shoulder. It let out a wail, just as lightning struck to light up its agonized face.

The arrow dissolved into tiny particles. Sorrow slowly stood up, bangs falling over its empty eyes. Its teeth were bared, fangs exposed, and it growled beneath its breath. It held out a clawed hand, and an identical arrow such as the one Yue fired formed. They all looked surprised. It charged at them, seemingly disappearing at some point, before reappearing, but right in front of Yue. The Guardian took a reflexive step backward.

"Shield!" Sakura's voice cut through the noisy storm.

And just as the creature stabbed the arrow down, it shattered against an invisible wall separating it from the Guardian. It scowled and started to pound on it. Yue fired a few ice shards at Sorrow, and it leaped away, the Shield returning back to its Card.

Sorrow jumped into the air once more, forming into a blue aura before shooting up into the clouds. A white glow formed in them once more, such as the one they saw the other day. Yue picked up Sakura and jumped to the side, Syaoran rolling away and Kero flying just as a lightning bolt struck where they were once gathered. The creature hissed and picked itself up from the debris, lunging at Yue and Sakura. The Guardian lashed out a few ice shards that it simply dodged.

"Sword," Sakura whispered. A white light washed over her staff, transforming it into a golden sword. She lifted it up in time to block the claws of the creature just as they slashed down at her. Yue turned around so she was out of harms way, kicking out his leg and knocking Sorrow off into the air.

Syaoran took this time to try his luck at getting at Sorrow. He raised his sword to struck down at it, but it disappeared and reappeared behind him. He sensed it all the same, and performed a back flip in time to avoid its claws. He lashed his sword down in a diagonal arc, this time hitting his target. It left a cut right across Sorrow's back.

It grit its teeth and glowered, crouching down and then kicking out its hind legs, rolling on its back and then back on to its feet. When it kicked out its legs, it hit Syaoran square in the chest, forcing him to stumble back. He didn't look the least bit phased. Years of training were coming in handy up to this point. Yue set Sakura back on the ground, and she was about to run off and help him when Yue placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and he shook his head.

Li Syaoran didn't need their help.

Lightning flashed once again, only to light up the determined look plastered on the Li boy's face. Chestnut bangs hung over his eyes, casting shadows, but the gleam of his golden amber eyes were visible through the night. Never had Sakura seen his eyes this bright before. His hair clung to the sides of his face, just like his wet clothes clung to his body. He was smirking.

Because he knew he would win.

Sorrow eyed Syaoran, and then lunged at him once more. He closed his eyes –

At this, Sakura wanted to thwack Syaoran for being an idiot. Why was he closing his eyes? She gnawed on her bottom lip and kept herself at check, knowing he had his reasons.

And he did, he knew it was going to disappear. And it did. His inner eye showed him everything – showed him Sorrow's movements, but in slow motion. He saw what the creature was going to do, and what it was aiming to do, to strike him from behind. He spun around and kicked out a leg, knocking it in the head, much to its surprise.

It threw its hands out and flipped back up on to its feet. Syaoran ran at the creature, kicking up droplets of water in the process. The rain pounded in his face, but he ignored it. He clasped the hilt of his sword with both hands and then struck it at Sorrow. Sorrow jumped up and landed crouched on the flat of the sword. Both of their faces were just inches apart, and Syaoran couldn't help but find he couldn't tear his gaze away from the deep, black and sorrowful gaze of the creature.

But Sorrow was taken aback to find no emotions could be forced upon the Li boy, that he simply retaliated, albeit mentally by pushing the creature out of his mind. And as soon as this was done, Syaoran raised his sword and through the creature off and across the ground.

He whipped out one of those lovely yellow rectangle-shaped pieces of paper known as the ofuda. Intricate Chinese characters were imprinted in black ink, jolts of electricity outlining it and bouncing around it. He tossed it to the ground face first, going down on one knee and slamming the point of his sword against the very center of the ofuda.

He yelled something, but his words were drowned away by the rumbling of the thunder.

Lightning clashed from the sky and struck the ground before him, and in its place, some sort of… _creature _could be seen. It looked something like Sakura's Thunder card, but… bigger, and fiercer. Fangs could be seen from its mouth. Its eyes glowed blue, and electricity sparked around it like wild fire. Sakura stared in awe, Keroberos couldn't help but looked impressed, Yue looked the same as ever, and Sorrow's eyes widened, and then narrowed.

It brushed one of its paws against the ground, shaking its head and huffing, before turning its deathly glare upon Sorrow.

Another jolt of electricity coursed from it, dancing across the ground and shocking Sorrow's feet, causing it to leap back and hiss. Syaoran stood up and slowly lifted his head, having bowed it earlier ago, and Sakura's eyes only widened more when finding _his _eyes glowing blue, the exact same blue as the… thing's eyes.

_When did Syaoran learn how to do that…?_

Sorrow waited no longer to find what the thing that Syaoran summoned could do. It got up and ran at this creature made of complete lightning. Syaoran made a gesture with his hand, the beast opened its mouth and let out a roar before running at Sorrow as well – moving as fast as a lightning bolt itself.

They collided and Sorrow was engulfed in lightning. Sakura shut her eyes to block away the blinding light, and as soon as the light died down, she reopened them. The lightning creature was gone, and Sorrow was on the ground, steam flowing from its beaten form. Syaoran's eyes were normal again.

He looked at them, and Sakura stared back. He was stronger, that much was obvious.

He walked up to them just as Sorrow was trying to push itself back up, but it was too weak. He halted right in front of Sakura, and she never once tore her gaze from his.

"Now what?" Syaoran asked rather gruffly, turning to Keroberos.

The Guardian Beast nudged Sakura with its muzzle. "Your turn, Sakura."

"But… what am I supposed to do?" she asked uncertainly, gripping her Star Staff tightly.

"You'll know," Yue reassured.

She looked at him, frowned with that same uncertainty, before slowly walking towards Sorrow. Syaoran caught her hand, and she faced him quizzically.

"Be careful," was all Syaoran said, releasing her hand.

She smiled, nodded, and walked towards Sorrow, closing the distance between them. By the time Sakura reached the creature, it was up on its knees and growling at her, as if threatening her not to come near it. She only frowned and caught the gaze of Sorrow, forcing herself to hold it and not tear away. That same sad and empty feeling found itself welling inside of her, causing her heart to wrench rather painfully.

Where these feelings were coming from… she didn't know. She just never felt sadness such as this one.

Sakura held on to these feelings, ignoring the fact that she wanted them to go away. But she didn't let it overwhelm her. She stood rooted firmly to her spot and raised her staff above her head, before striking it down.

"Sorrow Card," Sakura spoke out, her voice steady and firm. "Return to your power confined! Sorrow Card!"

…Nothing happened.

Sakura's eyes widened. She raised her staff, struck it down, repeated the words… and still nothing happened. Hastiness overwhelmed her. Why wasn't it working? Was she doing it wrong? Why? Why couldn't she capture the card?

Why--?

A smirk tugged at Sorrow's lips before it lunged at the distressed Mistress.

Sakura stumbled back and fell, the creature crouching above her, holding either sides of her head. Its smirk widened.

"Sakura!" Syaoran yelled, just about ready to run over. Keroberos stood in his path.

"She needs to do this on her own," Keroberos growled at Syaoran.

"But she couldn't! I need to help her!" Syaoran yelled back, glancing at Sakura. She wasn't even struggling.

"She needs to do this on her own," the Guardian Beast only repeated himself, and Syaoran reluctantly stood back.

_You can't get me, Card Mistress, _the silky voice of Sorrow taunted her. Sakura felt oddly dismayed.

_You're just one person. What makes you think you can save the world if you can't even capture me?_

She closed her eyes tight, but no matter what, she couldn't get rid of the voice. She felt defeated, she felt useless, she felt helpless and terribly _sad _because of these emotions. Something in her told her she couldn't capture Sorrow, that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. And the voice was right. If she can't capture Sorrow, what makes her think she can save the world?

What makes her think she'll be able to capture all of the other cards?

She was just one person…

One person really doesn't make much of a difference.

_That's right, Card Mistress. The world will meet its doom because of you._

_All of your friends will die because of you._

She didn't want to believe what she was hearing, she didn't want to believe it, but she couldn't help it. The emotions were choking her, they were suffocating her. She couldn't think on her own without this voice invading her thoughts. She even forgot what happened throughout the day, and who this voice belonged to, and why she was even in such a predicament.

…_You can't save the world, let alone capture me._

Capture… who?

Who was she trying to capture?

"Sakura!" Syaoran yelled out again once more.

Her eyes snapped open as her mind slowly registered the voice.

"Syaoran…" she whispered. And then she remembered how he beat down Sorrow with ease – without breaking a sweat. She remembered how determined he looked, and how he didn't let anything get in her way.

…She needed to capture Sorrow.

She needed to capture Sorrow, and all of the other cards. She needed to protect her friends, her family… Syaoran. She needed to keep Syaoran out of any danger, as to prevent whatever it was her dream was trying to show her.

She needed to save the world.

"I will stop you," Sakura whispered, and Sorrow blinked.

Before the creature could react, a blinding white light engulfed Sakura, knocking Sorrow off and to the ground for the countless time that day. The Card Mistress stood up, the light dying down. She looked the same, but something was different.

She picked up her Star Staff.

Something was different.

She looked down at her Staff. The star on it… it was different. Instead of just its usual five points, the star had seven points. The circle that was usually around it wasn't there anymore. Instead, tiny particles of white and pink light seemed to dance around the star.

Sakura looked back at Sorrow, having no time to think over what had happened to her staff. She needed to capture this card. She held on tight to the sad emotions, her own emerald eyes mirroring the empty, sad and frightened look that Sorrow's black eyes shown. The wind picked up to a desperate wail. Lightning flashed, illuminating Sakura, casting shadows across her face. Thunder roared.

"I will stop you," Sakura repeated, raising her staff. The symbol of the sun, moon and star appeared beneath her and the creature, torrents of wind picking up around them.

She closed her eyes and brought the staff down, calling out: "Sorrow, return to your power confined! Sorrow Card!"

A rectangular glow formed before the head of the staff, and in this glow the Sorrow was sucked up, the torrents of wind flowing into it as well. At first, Sorrow tried to run away, but the wind pulled it in, turning the creature into its blue aura. A cry was heard, and then suddenly, the light died down, and the symbol beneath Sakura disappeared. She stood still, the rectangular glow dying out, being replaced with a card that drifted to the ground.

Everything stilled –or calmed down, really. The rain came as gentle patters. The wind died down to a gentle breeze. The thunder silenced, and the lightning stopped flashing. Sakura let out a relieved sigh, before dropping to her knees, feeling oddly tired – something she hadn't felt since the days she converted the Clow Cards under her name.

She looked down and at the newly captured card, picking it up from the ground just as Syaoran and her Guardians rushed over. She turned it around so she was looking at the front. Sorrow could be seen, with **The Sorrow **imprinted at the bottom.

"You alright?" Syaoran asked the second he reached her.

She nodded, "Yeah," and then turned her attention to her Star Staff. She held it up before her face, and for the others to see.

"Kero-chan… Yue-san… Why'd my staff change?"

"Let's get you home first, and then we'll explain things."

* * *

"…So we missed all of that?" Tomoyo cried in dismay. The second Sakura and them went to her house, they found Tomoyo and Meiling waiting inside, Fujitaka having let them in when coming home from work. He was asleep at the moment, so Sakura hushed Tomoyo down, sweat dropping. 

The amethyst-eyed girl looked utterly dismayed. "That's. Not. Fair."

Meiling patted Tomoyo on the back. "There, there."

"Ne, Kero-chan, so why did my staff change?" Sakura asked, looking at her Sun Guardian.

"It had to change, or else you wouldn't be able to capture the Sorrow," Kero pointed out. He was munching on a few biscuits.

"Can you please not talk with your mouth full, Stuffed Animal?" Syaoran asked, eyeing him.

"And can you please not stuff your face anywhere near Sakura's?" he retorted, referring back to earlier when it appeared they were about to kiss.

"…Wait, what?" Tomoyo interrupted, forgetting her momentary dismay.

"It looked as if they were about to kiss earlier," Kero said, making a gesture with his paw.

Sakura and Syaoran turned positively red, and the news only left Tomoyo in more tears.

"I missed another Sakura and Li kawaii moment!" She bit her nails, rivers of tears flowing from her eyes. "Today just isn't my day!"

"…And anyway," Kero continued. "I'm guessing it was your will to protect everyone that led the staff to change." He scrutinized the staff thoughtfully, counting the points. Seven of them. "It's a powerful staff, Sakura-chan. It's known as the Seventh Star."

"Seventh Star?" she repeated.

Tomoyo had silenced in order for her (and everyone else) to listen to what Kero had to say.

"Seven represents luck," Kero said, stuffing his mouth with another biscuit, chewing it, and then swallowing it. "Luck represents good. Whereas, there's thirteen of these cards. Thirteen is a bad luck number. Bad luck representing all that is evil. That staff is the only thing that can counter and capture these cards."

She looked at her staff, or the Seventh Star in wonder.

"Clow Reed… he's a brilliant man," Tomoyo mused out loud.

"More like a nutcase," Syaoran commented, looking at the staff as well.

Sakura smiled, the Seventh Star forming into its key form – a mini version of the staff. She placed it back around her neck and tucked it securely beneath her shirt.

"But what I don't get…"

Everyone turned to Yue, the usually silent Guardian. His silver eyes were on Syaoran.

"…Is how you easily evaded the Sorrow."

* * *

**To be continued.**

**Fire Temptress:** Did I forget to mention that Yue and Yukito were separate entities? o.o Pardon me. Well, they're separate entities. I'll try to fit in the story somewhere explaining that, but it's basically Touya just giving Yukito/Yue his powers so they can be two different beings without having to depend on the other.

Oi, and I've concluded that every scene with Yue must be beautiful – as he's a beautiful man. –goes starry eyed-

-huggles Yue and Syaoran- How I love thee both, so very, very much. –dreamy sigh-

Ooh, and ya know about the whole glow-in-the-clouds-before-the-lightning-strikes part? This is what happens when you watch _War of the Worlds. _Teehee. Remember the part where Ray and his daughter see the clouds all weird-ish and then the lightning strikes repeatedly? That's what inspired me, mwaha. I love that movie. I've seen it twice.

And thanks to everyone who reviewed. They all meant a lot. –beams-

Pardon anything wrong with this chapter. My wrists are killing me. Spent two days straight typing this and working on it. And, now, I'm too lazy to go through, reread and edit. –grins- So yeah.

Review and have a nice day!

_-FT_


	5. The Huntress

Images flashed in his mind's eye.

Appearing, and then disappearing.

Flashbacks… reminders…

_Emotions._

…The accusing stare from piercing eyes…

What was wrong with him? Something was eating him deep inside.

Something was taking over – like an eclipse concealing the sun.

Blocking out the light.

Shedding only darkness.

---

when the world cries  
_The Huntress_

---

"Amusing…"

"Hn?"

"He was easily able to… avoid Sorrow's spell."

"…Yes. That's to be expected."

Hyoutsuu glanced at the man in the shadows, his gaze lingering on his hidden face, and then reverting back to the window. His violin hung in one hand, and the bow in the other, not played and seemingly forgotten. The wolf demon's gaze seemed intent on the blue sky hovering above the mansion, casting light through the murky dullness of the dusty room that he and the man in the shadows were currently residing. Where each spot of light touched, you could see the tiny particles of dust floating about, becoming visible from the rays of light beaming from the sun.

"He almost did it… _too _easily," Hyoutsuu mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully with the bow. He then used it to scratch the side of his scalp. "Yet the Card Mistress and Yue had a field day with it…" Hyoutsuu smiled lazily. "Ah well. Score one for the Card Captors."

"But in a way it's still a loss for them," the man in the shadows pointed out lightly, his voice faint and quiet. But it was still clear, loud… in some way. "With each day that goes by, the Sorrow will gradually drain her of her powers. And with each card that she captures, the more energy she loses."

He leaned back in his seat, silver eyes twinkling from behind the draperies of shadows.

"…And eventually, all that will be left is an empty and hollow corpse of what the Card Mistress once was."

"Fun…" Hyoutsuu murmured, still smiling.

The wolf demon looked down at bow and violin with his golden eyes, as if debating whether to play it. He met the other's gaze, received a nod, and tucked the violin beneath his chin. He settled the bow against the strings before smoothly gliding it across them, drawing out a low, long noise. Hyoutsuu paused and closed his eyes. He didn't move at first. Then his hands worked quickly, gliding the bow back and forth, holding a few strings down. His fingers moved fast. His hands moved fast. He played a rather hasty tune – like something that would get ones adrenaline rushing, like a race between two people or things, running, running, one being the chaser, the other being the chased.

Hyoutsuu continued to play, never once stopping and never once breaking a sweat. He looked calm as he played. The man in the seat smiled, his gaze not on the violinist, but at the center of the room where a beam of light shot from the ground. The light spread out into a pillar, and at the bottom a symbol formed. Lines danced about, creating a circle with intricate designs of a thirteen-point star. It glowed a blood red.

Hyoutsuu kept playing.

Something seemed to rise from the middle point of the circle. A head. A neck. Then there were shoulders, an upper body, and then a full body standing there. Her head was bowed. The glow from the light reflected off of her skin. It wasn't until Hyoutsuu stopped playing that the light disappeared, and that this new person looked up.

Hyoutsuu turned around, his animalistic eyes locking with her autumn brown eyes. Ringlets of silver blonde hair cascaded around her face, stopping just above her shoulders. She had a sharp face, slim physique, yet tall and built in a feminine way. She had mahogany brown gloves, a tanned tank top and khaki-brown shorts torn off half way up her thighs. The only thing unique about her were her elven ears.

She mock-bowed before Hyoutsuu.

"You rang?" she asked, standing straight. A hint of irritation tinged her voice.

Hyoutsuu waved his violin bow dismissively. "Obviously," was his own retort. "You know what you have to do."

"It's time already?" she questioned skeptically, not giving much of an effort to contain her disappointment, her unwillingness, and her sigh.

"But I thought you like hunting?" Hyoutsuu asked, feigning a surprised look. "…But if you want, you can always return back to the Underworld…" He trailed off.

She scowled grudgingly at him. "No, no. That's not it. I just wasn't expecting to be called this soon. Were they really that good, or did the stinkin' Card just not put up a good enough fight?" Her voice was taunting.

Hyoutsuu remained smiling, and shrugged. "No idea. But here's your chance to find out."

She studied her claws, tugging her gloves down to make sure they were tight. "They're just a bunch of kids. How much trouble can they be?"

Hyoutsuu's smile became terribly pleasant.

"Oh, you know how teenagers are these days. Always getting themselves into trouble!" His smile then turned twisted. "But I would not misjudge them, Callista."

Callista made a gesture. "Yeah, yeah. I'll catch ya later."

She stalked across the living room and out the front door – and straight into Tomoeda.

---

He yawned before settling himself down on a chair.

"I don't see why you brought us here, Hirragizawa…" he drawled out, amber eyes gazing boringly at him.

"Hai…" she sighed, eyes drooping over as she struggled to stay awake. "It's so… early…"

Sapphire eyes simply glinted mischievously behind a pair of spectacles. A smile tugged across his pale face.

"If you two are ever going to fight these new cards, Hyoutsuu, _and _demons – you're going to need to know _how._"

Syaoran seemed to perk with interest at this.

Sakura looked mildly awake now.

"…You already know how to deal with the cards," Eriol continued, clasping his hands together, elbows resting on the arms of his velvety red chair. "But I can teach you how to get rid of the demons, if more were to ever come your way."

"I don't see why we just can't kill them," Syaoran commented, looking uninterested once more.

"If you haven't noticed, there are certain demons that can't simply be _killed,_" Eriol said calmly. "Such as the shadow demons – they have no solid form, nor can they be killed. There are other demons out there as well, other _types _of demons who are invincible, immortal, or just very much more stronger than all of us put together…

"There's the undead, the undefeatable, the spiritual… those types you can't simply _kill._"

"Then how the heck are we supposed to defeat them?" Syaoran demanded.

"I was _getting _to that," Eriol replied.

"Syaoran, let him talk," Sakura scolded lightly.

He huffed, and stayed quiet.

The half-reincarnation of Clow Reed settled himself back in the chair. "…In situations like those, the only option you have is to send them back to the Underworld and lock them there."

"How do we do that…?" Sakura asked, blinking.

Eriol smiled. "I'm going to teach you."

He stood up from his seat and walked across the room, gesturing for Syaoran and Sakura to follow. They sighed, but obliged and trailed after him as they walked through the mansion. They went out through the back, and into the backyard.

"But before I can teach you how to send them back, I need to teach you how to _summon _creatures," Eriol said, holding out a hand for them to stop. They did, and he walked to the other side. "I can't teach you unless you know the basic summoning technique."

"Ano… Why?" Sakura questioned in confusion.

"The summoning and sending are, in a way, the same," the sapphire-eyed teen explained. "You can't do one without knowing the other."

"But how will you know what you're summoning and what you're not summoning?" It was Syaoran asking this time.

"That's why you don't summon anything, until you know what to summon," Eriol said, smiling. "Now no more questions. Let me finish explaining. All your questions will be answered _after._"

They nodded.

"Depending on the amount of energy you put in to summoning a creature, you're limited to what you can summon," Eriol said, hands clasped behind his back. "The less energy you put – the weaker the creature. The more energy you put – the stronger, and the better. But if it comes to a point where you put in too _much _energy that not even _you _can control, you will get something… uncontrollable, and some of the worst case scenarios will happen then, such as mass destruction and you unable to stop it.

"And it usually depends on your intentions during a situation when you summon a creature. If you have good intentions, an ethereal creature will come. If you have bad intentions, a hell creature will come. You aren't only limited to the Underworld – but to other worlds and other _dimensions. _

"But it all depends on your will, your intentions, and how much energy you put into it – so it can never be known exactly _what _you're summoning _until _you summon it. If you do it right, then you won't have anything to worry about, because any creature you summon will automatically be put under _your _control and _yours _alone."

Sakura's mouth went into the shape of an 'O.'

"I don't necessarily expect either of you to be able to summon anything right away," Eriol continued, adjusting his glasses as they caught the glare of the sun. He smiled and looked at Syaoran. "And I'm sure you know that when you use your ofudas now, it's almost as if you do summon actual creatures."

He nodded, and Sakura blinked, looking at Syaoran startled. She looked thoughtful as she recalled the first time she saw him use one of those ofudas in a while. He had summoned a creature that looked like the Thunder, expect more ferocious in every manner…

"But…" Sakura spoke up, "isn't what he does actual summoning?"

Syaoran shook his head, and explained: "No." He pulled out an ofuda. "Each element has its own… solid form. Each element has a guardian form. The first one I had summoned was the lightning guardian. It wasn't his actual form, but more of a spiritual form… or a replica of what the actual being would be. The Li Ancestors have a 'contract' with these elemental guardians… a contract that when in time of need, we can summon them – or at least their spiritual forms. Only the ancestors who had originally signed the contract can summon the physical form of these beasts."

Sakura nodded in understanding.

"But it isn't impossible for Syaoran to summon them and make a permanent contract himself," Eriol piped in, still smiling. "He's just… not quite strong enough yet for that."

Syaoran simply crossed his arms and looked off in another direction.

Sakura smiled and patted Syaoran confidently. "Ahh, I'm sure he can summon those things soon enough!"

Eriol laughed. "Of course. But he needs to know how to summon... less stronger ones first if he wishes to reach that level."

Syaoran snorted. "How difficult can it be?"

The Clow half-reincarnation smiled secretively. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Can we start now then?" Sakura asked, looking excited.

He made a gesture with his hand. "Of course. But first, let me demonstrate."

The Card Mistress looked at Eriol with all of her attention, whereas Syaoran watched on uninterested. The sapphire eyed boy removed his pendent from around his neck before changing it into his Sun Staff. His eyes closed, but he continued to smile as he held his staff out before him. Sakura held her breath. She could see his aura cower to him and cling to him before suddenly bursting out into tendrils, each one shooting out in different directions. Those tendrils burst and shattered into little blue orbs that glowed and hovered around him.

Then, as if on impulse, they all came together and gathered at the center of the sun on Eriol's staff. He banged the butt of the shaft on the ground twice, and the aura traveled along the rod before spreading out in a thin thread across the ground. It separated into other tiny lines that crisscrossed each other. It shot out in a straight path, heading to the very center between Sakura, Syaoran and Eriol. A tiny circle formed at the end before taking the shape of a sun. Light emitted from the center; a blue light, and then something started to rise from that center.

It wasn't very big, but more small and petite. It probably wasn't even an arm's length tall. Sakura looked at it in surprise, never having seen anything like it before. The only thing she could possibly compare to it would be Sleep, but even then… This creature had tattered wings, black wings that looked turn in every place possible. Its skin was a murky blue, and its eyes glowed silver. Curls of black hair spilled across her shoulders and down her back. She looked like some… tiny, dark fairy out of a story.

Sakura looked at the fairy in awe, Syaoran glanced at the fairy, looking interested now, and Eriol opened his eyes, smiling. The fairy blinked, and raised an eyebrow as she scrutinized Sakura and Syaoran before turning around to face Eriol.

"…What is it this time, Clow Reed?"

The aura of light disappeared. The fairy fluttered her wings and flew up to Eriol so she was hovering in front of him.

"Must you always think I need something, Nonna?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because that's always the case."

"…Well if you must know, I was demonstrating the summoning technique to them." Eriol gestured at Sakura and Syaoran.

"I see…" Nonna murmured, turning around to look at the two once more. "…And so you jumped to the conclusion that I had nothing better to do and decided to just bring me up here?"

Eriol looked at Nonna innocently. "…You jump to conclusions, my dear Nonna."

"Well if the only reason you brought me here was to show off your oh-so-_amazing_-powers… then I'm out of here."

"Do stay, Nonna. I wanted to demonstrate to them how to send you back."

Nonna scowled irritably at Eriol. "I refuse to waste my time here. I have better things to do…"

"She's so pretty, Syaoran," Sakura whispered to him, watching Eriol and Nonna talk.

The fairy's pointy ears twitched, and her eyes fell on Sakura. "I can hear you, you know."

"Oh," Sakura murmured, looking down sheepishly.

Nonna looked thoughtful, before grinning. "…I like her. She knows beauty when she sees it." She brushed away a strand of hair from over her eyes. "I'll stay for a bit then."

"I don't mean to be rude…" Sakura said, scratching her head, "but… ano…"

"Who am I?" Nonna calmly finished for her.

She nodded.

"My name's Nonna," she replied, smiling coolly. "I'm an old acquaintance of…" She glanced at Eriol, and made a face, "…Clow Reed." Nonna looked at Sakura and Syaoran once again. "I'm guessing one of them is your successor? Is it the boy?"

"No."

"Ahh, the girl…" Nonna smiled at this. "Wise choice."

Eriol grinned knowingly. "Indeed."

"…How the heck do you two know each other?" Syaoran asked sounding mildly irritated.

"Clow Reed once summoned me," Nonna replied simply. "It was more of an accident than anything else. He didn't know he would summon me – but he did… and blah blah. The rest is history."

Eriol nodded and turned to Sakura and Syaoran. "You both saw how my aura moved around when I performed the summoning technique, yes? The aura stretches out at first in order to search throughout the several worlds, or dimensions, for a perfect creature to summon depending on how much energy and what your will is. Since I already knew who I was summoning, my aura extended came back before extending to the ground because I was summoning Nonna: a demon of the underworld…"

"…Not all demons are evil, mind you," Nonna added in.

"Depending on what your will is and who you're summoning, your aura will extend out into different areas. If you're summoning a demon, it will reach out across the ground. If you're summoning any type of ethereal or celestial creature, it will extend to the sky. Any other dimension… I'm not quite sure, since demons and celestial beings are the only ones I have ever summoned."

"You, or Clow Reed?" Syaoran asked.

"Just me."

"So you don't remember anything from Clow Reed's life time?"

"Concerning summoning, no." Eriol smiled.

Sakura looked abashed, and Syaoran looked skeptical. Ever since their childhood they always figured Eriol to know _everything… _so they had all the right to be surprised by this unexpected moment!

"It's a piece of knowledge the other half reincarnation has," Eriol murmured.

"And you have absolutely no clue who the other half is?" Sakura asked, albeit knowing the answer.

"Not a single clue, Sakura."

"…" She sighed.

---

"I honestly don't get how this works, Eriol-san…" Sakura's face fell in dismay.

"Ganbatte, Sakura-chan…!" Tomoyo's cheering tone rang in the background. Sakura flashed her best friend a meek grin. She had arrived earlier (Meiling and Kero in tow). Eriol was going to send Nonna back in order to demonstrate the "sending back" technique, but the three had arrived, and considering Kero and Nonna were old acquaintances… they engaged themselves in a round of poker.

"Just concentrate, Sakura" Eriol instructed, standing beside her calmly. "Just concentrate on reaching out your aura, and focus solely on summoning a creature. Put all of what you feel at the moment into your summoning."

She sighed, and closed her eyes, but cracked open one eye in order to glance at Syaoran. He was standing on the other side of the courtyard with his brows furrowed and his eyes closed. It was evident he was trying to accomplish the same task as she was – a task they _both _were failing up to this point. Sakura sighed again and closed her eyes, staff in hand.

_Concentrate… Concentrate…_

"Don't think about what's around you…" Eriol's voice trickled into her mind like a whisper.

She creased her brows.

"Stay calm. Don't _force _yourself to concentrate."

She took in a deep breath and let her muscles and expression relax, and everything around her seemed to dissolve away, as did Eriol's urgings. It was just her and an empty world; a world that she could reach in several directions in order to find a creature to summon. She felt cool inside and out, and her mind was completely cleared of any distracting thoughts. She kept her aura close to herself in order to sustain any hindering memories or feelings before letting it blare out freely after reaching a sense of detachment from herself.

Pink tendrils of energy shot out in several directions, and Sakura found herself entering worlds she never existed. She felt exhilarated. She felt a rush just from standing there and letting her aura reach out to these other worlds; as if a roaring wind was blowing right at her as she ran straight and steady. She felt as if… if she just picked one place that a part of her aura went to, that she could grab it and pull her own self to it. She felt as if she could be anywhere at once; as if she could find anyone and pick anyone she wanted.

It was a rush that she never experienced up until now. Her body felt oddly light considering how detached from reality she was at the moment. Her aura continued to reach out, picking through the different worlds. Eventually she felt a tug on one of the strings of her energy, and she paused, unsure of what to do next. She didn't know what type of creature it was, but she could _feel _immense power emitting from it. She could tell it was a great creature, whatever it may be…

For a split moment she saw a pair of bright eyes flash in her mind's eye before her aura came whipping back at her and colliding into her – throwing her out from her reverie and stumbling back into reality. A pair of arms steadied her before she fell back. She couldn't focus her eyes for a moment; everything seemed to tilt at dangerous angles.

Sakura looked up dazedly as a certain pale face seemed to be two different faces. Those two faces finally came together and she could clearly see Eriol's reassuring smile beaming down at her as he held her steady on her own two feet.

"I wasn't expecting that to happen…" Sakura mumbled, shaking her head. She looked up thoughtfully. "But that was a rush…"

"Those things only happen when you run into a creature you wouldn't be able to control at a starting level," Eriol stated. "I'm supposing that's what happened, at least."

"I think that was it. When I found whatever it was… I could feel its power…" she whispered breathlessly. "And I saw its eyes. They were bright eyes…"

Eriol smiled and patted her on the shoulder before steering her to the table where Meiling, Tomoyo, Nonna and Kero were seated at. Sakura glanced in Syaoran's direction. He was sitting down beneath the tree, looking to be in deep meditation. Eriol noticed where she was looking, and he murmured into her ear: "Don't worry. He had failed, too."

"I bet you'll be able to summon something before that Gaki does," Kero stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Sakura sweat dropped.

"Kero-chan…"

The little teddy bear crossed his stubby paws. "What? Really!"

Syaoran twitched in his meditative state, for Kero was talking loud on purposely.

"I bet all that Gaki can summon is a little rabbit."

Syaoran stood up and stomped over, glaring vehemently down at the Sun Guardian.

"Why don't you say it to my face, _Stuffed Animal?_" Syaoran hissed through gritted teeth.

Kero looked up at him calmly.

"I _bet _all that _you _can summon is a _little rabbit._"

Nonna blinked, watching on in amusement.

"You fat, lazy good for nothing," Syaoran growled.

Kero fluttered his wings so he was hovering right in front of Syaoran's face.

"You ignorant, Chinese brat!"

"That's it!" Syaoran raised his sword.

…But then the next thing anyone knew, a flash of bright light enveloped the courtyard and Keroberos was sitting proudly on Syaoran's back. To say the least, the Chinese boy was positively fuming and bristling and it looked as if steam would sprout from his ears any second. Nonna started to laugh.

"Silly human…"

Syaoran glared at her. "Oh shut up."

She stopped laughing and eyed him with a reprimanding look. "It's best if you watch your mouth. I can do much worse things to you than Keroberos."

"As if I'm scared of you…"

"_Syaoran…_" Sakura's warning tone lead him to snap his jaws shut and look off in another direction, huffing. She turned her look to Keroberos. "Get off of him now, Kero-chan."

He looked reluctant, but he transformed into his false form and sat back down on the table. Syaoran got back up and dusted himself off.

"Now really, you two, it's as if you'd know by now that fighting is so immature…" Spinel Sun's dull tone interrupted them. He came fluttering out from the mansion as he settled himself on to Eriol's shoulder. Just as he landed, a cookie came hurtling through the air and collided into Spinel Sun's head before bouncing right off. The Sun Guardian was sent toppling off of his Master's shoulder.

Kero laughed in triumph – all up until that same cookie was thrown back at him, landed into his open mouth, and he started choking on it.

"Clow Reed, why didn't you ever tell me your life was _this _amusing? I would have popped around sooner," Nonna mused.

Eriol simply smiled as Sakura sighed and shook her head.

"_Hoe…_"

---

Sakura shielded her eyes from the sun. Her and Syaoran were sitting out on the front porch.

"School starts next week," was her only comment. She then smiled. "You'll be going, too, right?"

"Of course, I was already enrolled," Syaoran said simply, relaxing back in his seat with his hands behind his head. He head his eyes closed.

Sakura was leaning on the rail. "Everyone's going to be so excited to see you…" She turned to face him, but his eyes were still closed, so she went and sat down next to him. "It's funny, isn't it?"

Syaoran cracked open one eye, raising an eyebrow.

She was looking off in the distance. "…How much time goes by… Last time we saw each other, we were still kids…"

_It took me a while to realize just how much I liked you, Syaoran… And when I did, I thought it was too late because you were going back to Hong Kong…_

…_But then you came back… And that whole Sealed Card incident happened again. I thought I was too late again, because I thought your feelings for me were completely gone. But I wasn't too late. _

She smiled to herself.

_And in the end, you had to go back to Hong Kong. _

_Do you still love me, Syaoran?_

Those were the words threatening to spill from her mouth at that moment. She had to know. She wanted to know. She already knew her feelings never changed, and before the Sorrow Card came along, she was _this _close to telling him that her feelings were the same. And now that they were alone…

"Syaoran?"

"Hm?"

He looked at her inquisitively.

She twiddled her thumbs. "That last time when we were unpacking things at your apartment, I wanted to ask you something…"

Syaoran nodded. "What was it?"

She opened her mouth, and then thought twice. Did she really need to know? They were already close as it is… What if by her asking, it'd just ruin everything between the two?

_No… I don't need to know… I don't need to hear him say it – at least for now._

Sakura smiled. "Never mind."

He looked at her confused. "Never mind? Whatever it is, you can ask me, you know…"

She grinned. "It's alright. I'll ask you another time."

He eyed her.

Sakura smiled toothily and held out her arms. "…Can I have a hug?"

"…" Syaoran blinked, and then smiled and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his torso just as he laced his own around her shoulders and tucked her head beneath his chin. They were sitting on one of those "swinging benches," Syaoran propped up at the corner and against a few pillows. A wide smile lit Sakura's face as she huddled closer to him, sighing contentedly.

But neither noticed the incoming ball-of-light heading their way. Their eyes were closed as they gradually started to drift off to sleep. After all, Eriol had roused them at an abnormally early hour – Sakura's opinion, at least. The two remained in silence though, both wrapped up in the comfort of the other's presence. They remained quiet until Sakura broke that barrier of silence with a curious question:

"How _were _you able to… evade the Sorrow so easily, Syaoran?"

He opened his eyes in order to look up at the roof that jut out over them. "I guess from all the training…"

She smiled. "That's probably the reason why. You always train so hard… I'm not surprised…"

And yet, even now, when she compares herself to Syaoran in _strength _(mental and physical), he was and is probably stronger than her in both areas. It took all her will and effort just to keep a hold of herself when she went one-on-one with the Sorrow. If none of her friends were around, she knew her fight against it would have been a lost case… So when she compares herself to Syaoran now, and how strong he had gotten over these years… it makes her wonder if her years of training had gone to waste.

Syaoran was improving, and to see him have improved so much during the years they were apart… it made her question if she had wasted her time; if she didn't take what time she had seriously and trained her hardest… It's not that she was jealous, because she didn't have a single jealous bone in her body. It's not that she wasn't proud of Syaoran, because she was. It's just that… ever since they met, they've been competitive. First they were competitive rivals, each one trying to be better than the other, and then they were friends… yet they still had that competitive spirit, just without the hostility. Whether it be in track, swimming, or any type of athletic sport… they were always competing against each other.

She just… didn't want to be left behind.

She just didn't want to be the weak one, or the person who held anyone back.

She was too lost in though to realize she had fallen asleep.

Syaoran nudged her lightly, but when she didn't budge, he looked down to notice she really was sleeping. He blinked, and smiled, but stayed still for a few moments longer; holding her. It was comforting just holding her like this, it just being them two, with no interruptions this time – even though he knew someone would eventually interrupt him. But at least right now it was just them.

He sighed to himself as he closed his eyes again, feeling the prodding rays of the sun penetrating through his lids. It was a gentle glow considering that by now, the sun was already setting. Warmth passed over the horizon and embraced them both, cradling them, as he held Sakura. He listened to her soft breathing. He felt her shoulders rise up and down as she breathed. He felt her tense and relax as she dreamt whatever it was she was dreaming.

This was the reason why he trained so hard during the years: because of the girl in his arms. He didn't want to come back the same little boy he left as. He wanted to come back as someone who could protect her from _anything. _He wanted to keep her away from being hurt; from having pain inflicted on her. But… was he strong enough? Sure, he was able to evade the Sorrow seemingly with ease…

…but what about the rest of the cards? What about Hyoutsuu? And who knew who else there was out there that they would have to face… Was he strong enough? He wasn't sure. He doubt he was. He needed to be stronger. He was determined to be stronger. He needs to be strong in order to be able to protect Sakura…

And still… he can't protect her from the card she captured, and from the future cards she will capture. Everyday they were risking their lives; every second Sakura was risking _her _life. And he can't do anything about it.

He felt so helpless.

His hold around her gently tightened.

One way or another he was going to make sure she survived through all of this.

_I will protect her…_

_---_

"This is strange…"

She stood at the ledge of a cliff that overlooked the city of Tokyo. The city's lights were on, and the busy noises of hovercrafts and the usual nocturnal life sounded through the cool night air. She was just an observer; an onlooker – a rather frustrated looking one.

Callista frowned, deep in thought.

"Where are you?" she murmured to herself.

---

A few weeks passed by, and with nothing happening, they forgot about the cards temporarily, and instead focused on the next upcoming event: the start of their first year at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. They all agreed upon staying in dorms, and somehow had managed to persuade Eriol to attend school with them (even though in all honest truth, he didn't need the education). Summer had gradually shifted to cool temperatures, and they all busied themselves with packing and preparations.

"…Make sure you and that brat stay in separate rooms."

Touya berated Sakura from over her shoulder as she scurried around her room and stuffed clothes into her suitcase. She pointedly ignored him.

"If I find out he was in your room, I'm going to come over there and beat him up!"

She sighed in exasperation.

"Onii-chan…"

"And you know, I don't even understand HOW you got into a university in the first place."

"…"

"I mean, seriously. The school must be mad…"

Her eyebrow twitched.

"And I thought you sucked at math? How were you able to pass it and graduate in the fir –"

A shoe bounced off his forehead.

Sakura picked up her suitcase and duffle bags before marching haughtily out of her room, leaving behind a Touya who had a rather noticeable red mark on his forehead. She stumbled down the stairs and to the living room where Fujitaka was waiting. She forgot about her brother and instead smiled broadly at her father.

"Are you all ready, Sakura?" he asked, smiling as well as he took a few of her bags off of her shoulder and helped her to carry them outside. She nodded as they dumped the suitcases and duffle bags into the trunk of the car.

Fujitaka turned to her, still smiling. "I trust that you'll be fine since you have your friends with you."

"Of course!" She flashed him a toothy grin.

He laughed lightly and opened his arms, indicating for a hug that she willingly gave. He placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Just be careful."

"'tou-san… I'm just going to school!" Sakura looked up at him, but his eyes looked knowing. She smiled reassuringly and pecked him on the cheek. "…But I'll be fine. You know that."

"I know. Make sure you call whenever you get the chance."

"Hai."

Sakura hopped into the passenger seat, bidding her father bye one last time. Touya climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door. She made sure to keep her gaze on the window, because the red imprint in his forehead made her want to laugh.

The hovercraft took off into the air, and Sakura waved Fujitaka bye. Tomoeda slowly vanished in the distance as Tokyo rose into view. They eventually arrived at the university campus. Touya dropped her off at the dormitories, where she met Tomoyo. After a bit of searching, the two girls managed to find the main desk where they received their class schedules, and directions to where their own dorm would be at. It didn't take long before they were trudging down the rather narrow hallway, and stumbling into their new dorm.

They looked up surprised when seeing Meiling already there.

"It's about time," Meiling commented playfully.

Sakura tossed her bags onto the nearest bed and slumped down after them. "I want to sleep…"

"Lazy. Get up. We're going to meet Hiiragizawa and Syaoran for lunch," Meiling pointed out, throwing a pillow at the Card Mistress.

"Ow…" Sakura pouted, but sat up and took the time to look around. It was big enough for the three of them. Meiling's bed was at the corner beside one of the windows, and Tomoyo's was across from Meiling's. Sakura's was on the opposite wall. The room looked empty, but after they got settled in, it'd probably look more homely.

Meiling and Tomoyo slumped down on either side of her, and all three girls whipped out their schedules.

"Meiling we have English together!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

"You know, I think Hiiragizawa has the same music class as you, Tomoyo-chan," Meiling said thoughtfully, peering at Tomoyo's schedule. "And at least we have math together…"

Sakura looked utterly dismayed. "Tomoyo-chan and I don't have any of the same classes…"

Tomoyo smiled and patted her on the back. "At least the classes are at the same time."

The auburn haired girl nodded, still looking disappointed.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan! At least whenever you go off capturing cards, I can tape you! Hohoho!"

She sweat dropped, mumbling a: "_Hoe…_"

---

"This place is so big…" Sakura murmured, shielding her eyes as she looked around. The university was split up into different buildings – one building for the English department, another for fine arts, a different one for any type of social science class… etc. Other students were littered about, some newly arrived freshmen such as themselves.

The three girls made it to the cafeteria. Sakura smiled to herself as she thought of Kero. He'd love it there. There was a salad bar, a "buffet" bar, a dessert bar…

Too bad he was at the house.

But even as she mused about this to herself, one of her duffle bags in her room moved around before falling to the floor. The zipper was pried open, and a certain yellow-stuffed-animal-looking creature came flying out, laughing in triumph.

…But she didn't know that.

They spotted Syaoran and Eriol saving a table for them – Eriol looking like he always does, and Syaoran looking irritable that he was stuck with _him. _The three girls exchanged amused grins before walking over and sitting down with them.

"What classes do you have?" was the first thing Sakura asked Syaoran.

They switched schedules.

"Hmm… I have art class with you, Sakura," Syaoran said, glancing at her classes. "But it's only a semester long… so after we'll be having…" Syaoran trailed off, his voice sounding lame: "…drama. Great."

Sakura looked over at Eriol's schedule. Neither of them had classes together, either. She looked disappointed, but was still glad she had at least one class with Syaoran and Meiling. She took back her schedule, glared at it, folded it up, and huffed.

"Stupid school… At least I'm not taking any math class."

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving," Meiling said, standing up.

Everyone else got up to go to the buffet bar, but Sakura remained sitting.

"Aren't you hungry?" Tomoyo asked Sakura.

She shook her head and grinned. "Nah. 'tou-san made something for me before I got packed."

As soon as they went to get something to eat, she rested her chin on the table and closed her eyes. She really didn't get much sleep last night since she was too excited about coming to the university. That and she was thinking about the Thirteen Cards, and about Hyoutsuu. Hyoutsuu was a demon, and it was already concluded that demons were almost capable of walking on earth now – so how was Hyoutsuu able to be around? Someone else would've had to summon him, right?

So she concluded there was another person more powerful than Hyoutsuu out there. The demon even gave off the impression that there was from their first encounter. But what she didn't understand was their purpose; their _main _purpose. Did they want the Thirteen cards? And if they did, what could they possibly use it for? And by reaching the capability of releasing all Hell on Earth… what would they gain from it?

What else were they planning?

And when will this next card show itself?

Sakura sighed and cracked open one eye. She sat up straight and looked around dully at all of the other students. They were all chattering. They all looked happy; oblivious to the problem that could most likely affect all of them in one way or another. She was watching a group of guys and girls talking, but she didn't really seem to notice them. She was staring off into space, when one of the guys looked in her direction, noticing that she was looking at them. He still had a smile on his face as he turned to look at her.

But then that smile turned into a malicious grin. His teeth turned into fangs. His eyes were engulfed by a dull white… Her own eyes went wide as she grabbed on to the ledge of the table to keep herself from falling off of her chair. But when she blinked, he wasn't looking at her anymore. He was talking to his friends. He looked normal.

Sakura rubbed her eyes. No matter how many times she blinked and looked at him, he still looked like any normal guy.

…_I'm seeing things now… How lovely._

The others came back, so she pointedly avoided looking at the boy. It's not as if she wanted to look at the boy again. Every time she did, a mental image of him with fangs and white eyes flashed in her mind.

---

Sakura, Meiling and Tomoyo headed back to their dorm. They had spent the day with the boys exploring the campus and finding each one of their classes so they wouldn't get lost the next day. They had dinner before they went back to their rooms.

"The strangest thing happened today…" Sakura started as they approached the door. She took out her key and inserted it into the lock. "When we were at lunch…" She pushed open the door, and then…

"SAAAAAAAAAAAKURA-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

"HOOOEEEEEEEEE!"

A blur of yellow collided into her face as she stumbled back and fell over. As soon as she was able to disentangle the ball of yellow and compose herself, she blinked, and exclaimed in surprise:

"Kero-chan! What are you doing here?"

"I snuck into your bag, of course!" He posed with his paws on his hips.

Tomoyo laughed, and Meiling shook her head. Sakura would've scolded Kero a bit more, but a voice screeched from somewhere down the hall:

"IS THAT A BOY'S VOICE I HEAR! WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE, MISTER!"

"Hurry, get back in!" Meiling hissed. They went scuttling back into the room just as Meiling closed the door. All four held their breaths as they heard someone walking down the hall. Tomoyo peered through the eye hole to see a middle aged woman storming pass.

"She must be Igarashi-san…"

"Who?" Meiling raised a skeptic eyebrow.

As soon as the lady disappeared, Tomoyo turned on the lights and started to explain, "I heard these sophomores talking about an 'Igarashi-san.' She normally patrols the halls at this time of the night to make sure guys and girls are in their respective dormitories, and that there's no parties going on and stuff."

Meiling made a face. "She sounds like an old hag."

"Hoe… Is she the same Igarashi-san that teaches English?" Sakura questioned meekly, looking at her schedule.

"I think so…"

"Aww crap…" Meiling looked the most disappointed. "I don't think I'm going to like English then."

"You never know. She might not be as bad as she seems at first…" Tomoyo started reassuringly, but it was obvious that was a failed attempt.

All four exchanged looks before Meiling yawned. "Well, whatever. I'm gonna get some shut eye now."

They all went to sleep, in exception for Sakura because she was up staring wide-eye at the ceiling. She really didn't want to go sleep considering whenever she closed her eyes, all she saw was the white eyes, and the smiling fangs. If she slept, she just _knew _she'd have a nightmare where that boy would try to eat her alive.

She shuddered.

If she wasn't going to be getting much sleep, she might as well make the most of her time… Carefully getting up as not to disturb her sleeping Guardian or friends, she walked over to the window and silently opening it. She climbed on to the sill and murmured a single word: _"Jump._"

She jumped on to the branch of a near by tree, before jumping again and gliding smoothly up high where she landed on the roof of the dorm building. There was a higher building next to it, so she jumped up to that one, and then leaped up to the clock tower that was there. She stood at the ledge. The clock was held at the center by metal bars, so she could easily see into the clock tower itself as all the gadgets moved and spun, working the clock. Chains shifted. Gears spun. It was noisy inside, and slightly windy way up there.

She smiled though and sat down at the ledge. From there she could see the whole university and beyond. The lights of Tokyo winked at her, and she looked to the sky. The stars were overshadowed by the city lights, so the sky just looked like a void of nothing, all except for the thin crescent moon up above. Tokyo was always busy at this time of the night; the countless hovercrafts darting in the sky suggesting that pretty much everyone was up. She could see other students coming back to their dorms after a night of partying and relishing in their last night of freedom.

Sakura sat there for what seemed like forever. She stood up when deciding it was chilly out, and glanced at the inside of the clock tower. She made a mental note to bring Syaoran there to show him. Sakura was about to jump back down when her eyes caught the sight of a shadowy figure flying her way.

"…Yue!"

His angelic wings were spread as he gently beat them, gliding down towards her. A few stray feathers came loose and drifted downward, disappearing into the shadows of the night. Sakura smiled widely at her other Guardian as he settled himself next to her.

"What're you doing here, Yue?" Sakura asked, but she looked happy to see him.

"I sensed that you were awake, so I came to join you," he replied in his usual cool and simple voice.

She smiled, and the two sat down at the ledge, feet dangling and all. Yue folded his wings behind them, and the two sat in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a silence Sakura enjoyed when she was in the presence of her Moon Guardian. He always made her feel calm.

"Someone is coming," Yue murmured. His eyes were on the moon.

Sakura glanced at him, and then stared out, nodding. "I know."

"Would you like to go to bed, while I deal with this person?" Yue asked.

Sakura laughed, and shook her head. "That's alright, Yue."

They both stood up, and Yue gathered his mistress into his arms and gently brought them both down on to the nearest roof. Just as he set Sakura back down, they looked up in order to find Callista standing on the opposite side. Yue stood in front of Sakura, wings spread out protectively.

"Yue…" Sakura grumbled, lifting up one of his wings and parting his feathers so she could look to see who it is. She blinked, and voiced her question out loud: "Who are you?"

Callista smiled, amused by Yue's show of protectiveness. She was sitting at the ledge of the building, so she stood up and mock bowed before them. "The name's Callista. I'm a… 'hunter demon.'"

"What do you want?" the cold angel asked bluntly.

The demon raised an eyebrow, but looked undaunted by his hostility. She crossed her arms. "I am here to… challenge you to a race, Card Mistress."

Sakura blinked, surprised. "A race…?"

"To find one of the Thirteen cards. The second card, to be exact."

"But won't it release its own self?" Sakura questioned, skeptical.

"No, someone must release it themselves," Callista explained.

"Then why should we bother to find it? If it's still sealed and not a threat, it's a waste of our time."

"Ooh, but _I'm _looking for the card… And once I find it, I'm going to release it."

Sakura looked hesitant. "Then why are you telling us this? You're evidently on the opposing side."

She smiled sweetly. "But where's the fun if it's not a race? I happen to love races… And the only reason why I'm doing this is because a dear friend by the name of Hyoutsuu called on me…"

So _now _she had their attention.

Her smile widened.

"…And if I'm correct, you two have no choice but to agree to this race. If I get to the card first, it'll only end up in the 'wrong hands,' and you can't have that, now can you?"

It was obvious they both looked reluctant, but that they knew she was right.

"Goodie. The second card is known as the Rage card. You have one week – starting now – to find it before I get to it."

"But, how are we supposed to know where to find it?"

Callista placed her hands on her hips. "Darling, I'm a hunter. You never know where you're going to look until you start looking. We have the same advantages and the same disadvantages. None of us know where to look. But it makes it more exciting, ne?"

She seemed to mold in with the background scenery, and then she was gone from sight completely. Sakura exchanged looks with her Guardian.

Time was ticking.

---

"She probably only did that because she doesn't know where the card is herself," Eriol explained.

As soon as Callista had left, Sakura and Yue went to Eriol's and Syaoran's dorm. Luckily their other roommate hadn't arrived yet, and the two boys were still awake.

"But then… how are _we _supposed to find the card?" Sakura asked.

Eriol was sitting down on his red chair that he brought with him from England. He brought it everywhere, really. He was never seen without it (when he's in his house, mind you). He propped an elbow on one of the arms of the chair, looking deep in thought.

"…When Clow Reed labeled these cards as a bigger threat than your average Clow Card… he wanted to make sure it'd be difficult to collect them, if ever someone tried to…" Eriol started, his sapphire eyes lost in thought. "So he scattered them around the world."

"…"

"The _world?_" Syaoran blurted in. Sakura looked aghast.

"You mean… that ALL of them can be ANY WHERE?"

Eriol nodded, smiling. He adjusted his glasses just as they caught the glare of the light.

"But we don't have time to look around the world!" Sakura exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air. "We have school! And we don't have a week either to go scavenging about for that second card!"

"Calm down. I never said you would have to go looking about. That would just be too tedious," Eriol coaxed. His smile looked darker and more evil than normal. "As the half reincarnation of Clow Reed, I was given the knowledge of where _some _of the cards are – not the exact spot, but the city and the country at least. My other half most likely knows where the rest are…"

"Then… this… other half is the one who released the Sorrow?"

Eriol shrugged. "Could be. It could be who Hyoutsuu might be 'working' for, or in league with. It could be Hyoutsuu himself. It might not even be either of them… but whoever the other half is most likely knows where the rest of the cards are. But the cards can't be released randomly. They have to be released based on the order they were created."

Sakura and Syaoran frowned. This was new information.

"But… why?"

Eriol looked down darkly.

"They have to be, if Hyoutsuu and whoever else there is… is trying to accomplish what I think they are."

"And what's that?"

He glanced at them.

"…Another world war."

"But what do demons and magical cards have to do with a world-wide war?" Syaoran questioned, looking just as confused as Sakura did.

"A lot. More than you'll ever know. Clow Reed didn't _just _create the Clow cards and the Thirteen cards because he _felt _like it…"

"Then why?" Sakura and Syaoran asked in unison. They wanted answers. Eriol was hiding a lot from them, and they knew it, so they wanted him to come out with it all.

Eriol sighed. "World war three wasn't just any normal war between disagreeing countries like world war one and two. It wasn't started because one country or another had a dictator or a totalitarian leader… Over time, sorcerers in the past made themselves know. Some even rose to become leaders of countries. There were disputes between these sorcerers since some wanted to find a way to… form a connection with their world and with other worlds such as the underworld.

A sorcerer of the time wanted to make such a connection possible, so he summoned creatures of different worlds and made a contract with them… The Clow Cards were these creatures, as were the Thirteen Cards. He thought that if he had a contract with them, and kept them in card forms, that the next time he summoned them, he could open up a link to their own world. At that time, the Thirteen Cards weren't known as 'Thirteen Cards,' but were referred to as Clow Cards as well.

But he separated them into two groups after he realized that the first group, the Clow Cards, wouldn't work to establish a link with another world because each creature wasn't from the same world. The last Thirteen Cards… it was a triumph, and a failure all in one. It a established a link, yes, but with the Underworld."

"How is that possible though?"

Eriol held up a hand to silence Syaoran's question.

"One can't just simply open up a connection and think that it'll work. You need enough _power, _and you need _something _from that world to link you to it… So by summoning these thirteen creatures and binding them under contract, Clow Reed gathered enough power to open the gates of the Underworld. When he realized what he was capable of doing, he deemed these Thirteen Cards as a threat. He knew what they were capable of, and what others would be capable of doing if they ever got their hands on them…

At that time… Clow Reed had an apprentice. He trusted his apprentice with his life. His apprentice knew of his creations… and his apprentice became curious…" Eriol smiled grimly. "…Power hungry, even. Clow Reed told him never to touch those cards, and what would happen if he were ever able to properly use them."

"So his apprentice turned on him, took the cards, released all hell and caused a war between humans and demons?" Syaoran finished off.

Eriol nodded in conformation. "Exactly."

"But… if you need all Thirteen Cards to open the gates of the Underworld… how come there are already demons on earth? Such as Hyoutsuu, Callista, and those shadow demons?" Sakura questioned.

"If… Clow Reed's 'ex-apprentice' is up to it as he was years ago… he probably summoned them. As for the weakening of the gate… I have no idea." Eriol sighed and shook his head. "But the gate can't be fully open without the Thirteen Cards, so as long as it's that way… we can still prevent another war."

"If we know the order that the cards were created, we could find them all before Hyoutsuu and Callista get to them…" Syaoran murmured.

"There was a prophecy that Clow Reed had written, if I recall," Yue spoke up. Eriol nodded.

"Yes, but I don't know where the actual written document is, nor do I remember what was written."

"Well, right now, let's just worry about finding the next card," Syaoran suggested. Everyone agreed to this.

"So you know where the second card is, Eriol?" Sakura looked at him with hopeful eyes.

His lips tugged into a wide Cheshire grin.

"Of course I do."

Syaoran narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer to his question, but he asked anyway: "…Where, then?"

His sapphire eyes twinkled.

"Moscow, Russia."

**To be continued**

Firetemptress: Bwaha. –cough- I hope you liked _that _ending. –evil laughter- And I apologize for the late update! I made up for it by explaining lots of things in this chapter… (actually, it's just that I was running out of things to talk about. –innocent grin-).

So yeah! Lots more things to think about.

And as for the summoning thing… haha. I've been watching too much Naruto. It inspired me for the summoning stuff. –crooked grin-

And, btw: **Note: **Yeah, Sakura _can _use the Fly Card so wings come from her back… but, since this is my story, I'm saying she can just use it on her own self, or on the staff as well – because if it's on her back, she can't necessarily carry around people. It'd be easier to use the staff.

…Goodness. And this chapter was the most frustrating thing to work on. It would have come out better, but my computer kept freezing, so I kept loosing stuff and had to rewrite some stuff; and the rewrites never came out that well.

As for the next chapter… on to Moscow they will go. Yeah baby. –cackles-

_--FT_

_Leave a review and have a nice day! _


	6. Moscow

I can't believe I've been working on this for over a year...and to show for it all I have is five chapters... well, four full chapters and one prologue... but...

That's just sad.

* * *

when the world cries – **ch.v: **_Moscow _- Firetemptress

* * *

_He was suffering, and she didn't know why._

_He was in pain and she wanted to take it all away from him..._

_but she couldn't get to him._

_Her heart seemed to shatter when he looked up at her with pained amber eyes._

_The gold that once was there was gone. He was pale. His eyes dull and agonized._

_He no longer looked calm, but rather pained._

_Don't look so sad, Syaoran... it hurts... it hurts..._

_His mouth was moving. He was saying something -- no, yelling something._

Sa... kur... a...

_Syaoran... why do you look so pained?_

Sa...

_It hurts..._

--kur...

_It hurts._

a.

_He needs help. Someone help him..._

Sakura.

Sakura!

"SAKURA!"

Her eyes snapped open. She found her vision was blurred so she blinked rapidly to clear it. A pair of worried amber eyes were staring down at her. Those same amber eyes that looked at her with such pain in her dream...

"Syaoran?"

She felt breathless.

She was panting, she realized.

"Nani?"

"You were having a bad dream..."

He was leaning over her, brows creased.

"...You were crying."

She blinked in surprised as she raised a hand and tenderly pressed her fingertips against her cheek. She felt the dampness. Indeed, she had been crying. Sakura flushed as she stumbled for words.

"I..." What was she supposed to say? Sakura fell silent as she looked down at her hands. They were clenching the material of her pants.

They -- her and Syaoran -- had fallen asleep together on the couch in his dorm room. Morning light was streaming in through the window. She wondered how early, or late, it was.

"Was it the same dream?" he asked lightly.

She gnawed at her bottom lip. "In a way... but it was kind of different this time..."

"How so?"

"I..." She looked away. "I can't... explain it..."

He didn't pry.

They sat there in silence for a while.

Syaoran glanced at the clock before standing up. Sakura followed him with her eyes. "We'll be leaving soon."

---

"_Please _Tomoyo-chan, you and Li Gaki Number Two need to stay here!"

Sakura and Syaoran strolled into the girl's dorm to find Kero currently in the process of persuading Tomoyo and Meiling that they need to stay there in Japan and not come with them to Russia.

Tomoyo looked calm and Meiling openly defiant.

"As long as there's been trouble, Tomoyo and I have always been there, too! You can't just leave us here!"

"Well this is different!" Kero retorted. He looked up at Sakura and Syaoran. "Tell them they can't come!"

"You can't come," Syaoran said simply.

Meiling flared up. "If you think it's because we'll get in the way, I swear we won't -"

"Meiling, you _know _it's not that," Sakura intervened sheepishly. "It's just that... what if we can't protect you and Tomoyo if you two get in trouble?"

"Kero-chan and Yue-san can watch us," Tomoyo suggested with a smile.

"And Nakuru and Suppi-chan," Meiling added. She paused, looking thoughtful before adding as an after-thought: "And four-eyes."

Eriol, who had been silently staring out the window, turned around and raised an eyebrow before smiling that smile of his. "Nakuru, Spinel Sun and myself won't be coming along."

Sakura blinked. "How come?"

"We have some things we need to take care of... some research that I will need their help with," Eriol murmured, hands clasped behind his back. He noticed how Sakura's expression fell so he added: "Don't worry. We will take you half-way there."

"Ne... how _are _we getting to Russia?" Meiling asked with a finger pressed against her chin.

"We as in everyone but Li Gaki Number Two and Tomoyo-chan," Kero huffed. "Being stuck with _one _gaki is bad enough, you know."

Syaoran eyed him. "Care to repeat yourself, stuffed animal?"

Kero puffed his chest out. "Yeah -"

Sakura plucked Kero from the air and stuffed him in her pocket, ignoring his outraged protests. She was looking at Eriol expectantly.

"There is... a faster way to get to Russia; a gatekeeper that can get you there in a matter of seconds."

"Ahh, the Gatekeeper," Kero mused thoughtfully as he stuck his head out from Sakura's pocket.

"What's the Gatekeeper?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"The Gatekeeper is someone who guards all the doors of the universe," Kero explained in his all-knowing tone. His tiny paws were crossed, and his eyes closed. "He guards doors that lead to alternate dimensions; other worlds outside of Earth; doors that lead to other parts _of _the Earth..."

"Wow..." Sakura breathed, eyes wide. "That must be a lot of doors to guard then."

Eriol chuckled. "No, it is just one gate that he guards."

"Then how is it possible to get to so many different worlds through just one door?"

He merely smiled. "It is better to see for yourself than for me to explain."

So, basically, they would have to wait and see.

"Well... then how will we get to this Gatekeeper?" Meiling questioned after a moment's silence.

"Now getting to the Gatekeeper is somewhat more difficult," Eriol said. "...But then again, so long as you know the right people, then it's not _that _hard."

"So you know someone who can take us there?" Syaoran inquired.

Eriol looked positively pleasant. "Of course."

---

They caught a taxi from the university, and from there Eriol gave instructions to the driver. He was sitting in the front while Syaoran remained cramped in the back with Tomoyo, Sakura and Meiling. He was pressed up against the door with Sakura squashed next to him, and Tomoyo sandwiched between her and Meiling. It was amazing that they were even able to fit in there in the first place.

"Eriol, how long is this ride going to take?" Sakura asked uncomfortably as she shifted to make herself more comfortable, and at the same time, somehow make room for the others.

Sapphire eyes glanced at the rear view window. They twinkled in amusement. "An hour and a half."

He heard a chorus of groans.

It wasn't that long later that Sakura found herself sitting on Syaoran's lap. Tomoyo and Meiling insisted, saying it'd give them more space. Sakura and Syaoran protested at first but then gave in with their faces red. The Card Mistress sat stiffly. One would think that after sleeping together (with their clothes on, mind you) a couple of times, they'd be comfortable with her sitting on his lap.

"You can relax, you know," Syaoran murmured as he pressed his hand lightly against her arm. She looked at him from over her shoulder and smiled, relaxing.

They hadn't really gotten much sleep last night, now that she thought about it. And it was going to be a long drive considering city traffic... Sakura shifted around on Syaoran's lap so she was leaning on him with her back to Meiling and Tomoyo. She rested her head on his shoulder and curled up against him. He didn't complain. He was tired, too. He brought an arm around her waist and left it there. Meiling and Tomoyo exchanged glances and smiles as the Card Mistress and the Li boy drifted off to sleep.

"You think they'd be a couple with the way they act towards each other," Meiling murmured to Tomoyo.

The amethyst eyed girl smiled. "Sakura-chan and Li-kun aren't like other couples in love."

"I know. But honestly, they could at least just get the 'I love you's' over with. They did it once, I'm sure they can do it again."

Tomoyo was recording the sleeping duo.

She laughed lightly. "True. But things are different now... They're older, and I suppose they realize that they don't necessarily need to rush into things. They have their whole lives to say how they feel... and I guess... actions are better than words at the moment."

Silence seemed to settle in the cab. Eriol turned his gaze to the window, sharing the same thoughts as the two murmuring girls in the back.

_"They have their whole lives to say how they feel."_

_...Do they honestly?_ This wasn't just capturing cards like Sakura and Syaoran did when they were younger. This didn't require one's most 'important' feeling to be sacrificed. It was so much more than that. They were gambling _lives. _It was a touchy topic that no one wanted to talk about. They were aware of the heavy risks and the prices at stake, but no one dared to bring it up. It was there like a gray cloud, but never touched; never talked about.

For a moment Tomoyo lowered her camera and held it on her lap as that uncomfortable and foreshadowing silence settled in on them. But then she lifted it up and turned her video recorder on Meiling, shattering the unspoken tension.

"You know, Mission Get Sakura With Syaoran is pretty much accomplished," Tomoyo mused. Meiling looked at her and the cam recorder with a raised eyebrow. "I think it's about time we started a _new _mission."

"And what's that?" Meiling asked, blinking.

Tomoyo went starry-eyed. "Get Meiling With a Boy."

She scoffed. "I think _not._"

"And why not?"

She crossed her arms defiantly and raised her nose haughtily into the air. "_No _guy is good enough for Li Meiling."

Tomoyo laughed. "But there has to be _someone _good enough for Meiling. You didn't meet anyone in Hong Kong?"

The amber eyed girl looked thoughtful. "Well... there was this one guy..."

Tomoyo zoomed in on her face, capturing that wistful expression Meiling subconsciously wore. Tomoyo didn't say anything. She waited for Meiling to continue, which she did:

"I always thought he was perfect, and though he tried to act like Mr. Tough Guy, I knew there was a gentler side to him," Meiling reflected softly. She was staring out the window. Tomoyo already knew who she was talking about without needing to hear any names. "And... I suppose I was foolish and naive to believe I would be with him; that I would be the one he would always show his gentler side to..." Meiling closed her eyes. "But he met someone, someone who brought out the best in him, y'know? It hurt, yeah, but... I loved him enough to let him go. And though it's not the best kind of love, it's the best kind of love I can give."

Tomoyo smiled gently as she turned off her cam recorder and rest it on her lap. She always found Meiling to be a very brave person.

The Li girl sighed and then looked at Tomoyo. "...Were you recording all of that, Tomoyo?"

She tilted her head innocently. "But of course."

"..." Meiling's brow twitched. She attempted to snatch the video camera but Tomoyo held it at arm's length. "_Daidouji! _Delete that at once!"

Eriol turned around with a finger pressed to his lips. "Hush, or you'll wake the lovebirds."

The girls froze and glanced at the sleeping Sakura and Syaoran.

They looked at each other and settled down.

"Hey, Tomoyo-chan?"

"Hm?" she glanced at Meiling questioningly.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you think you'll end up with someone? Y'know, married and with kids?"

She looked startled and taken aback by Meiling's question. But she seemed to compose herself as she turned the question over in her head. _Could _she honestly see herself in love with someone, in love with that person enough to want to get married and spend the rest of her life with him? The answer?

"I honestly don't know. The thought is pleasing, yes, but I don't really know."

Meiling accepted the answer. She couldn't see Tomoyo with just _any _kind of guy. Every guy who approached Tomoyo seemed too plain and bland and average for her. No one compared to Tomoyo. She was different. She was unique. She was her own person and Meiling wondered if there was anyone like her out there in the world... Her eyes fell on the back of Eriol's head. So far, _he, _the four-eyes of a half-reincarnation of the dead Clow Reed, seemed to reach the standards necessary for Tomoyo. They were both so much a like that their personalities were uncanny. They compared to each other just as much as they contrasted each other.

While Eriol was twisted and demented, Tomoyo was also. While Eriol wreaked havoc and tried to kill Sakura and the others a few years back during the converting of the cards, Tomoyo was gentle, sweet - _angelic. _If the devil had a face it would be the face of Hiiragizawa Eriol. But then again, they were so much a like that it was hard to see them together. First off, that would mean the end of the world as they know it. Secondly, they were individual people who liked to do their own thing. If there was anything going on romantically between Eriol and Tomoyo, _could _they be together? And besides, Eriol had the mentality of an aged and dead sorcerer. Was someone like Clow Reed even capable of loving?

No matter how much the two were so alike, Meiling couldn't wrap her mind around the possibility of the two being together. Who _knows _what would become of the world if little Eriol and Tomoyo look-alike kids were running amuck? She'd kill herself before she let something like _that _happen.

_Well, there goes Mission E+T - a failure before it even began._

---

Sakura jerked awake as the taxi came to a sudden stop. Syaoran stirred into consciousness. An hour and a half of sleep found them pulling up in front of a mansion. If they had been awake for the ride they would have realized they were in the outskirts of Tokyo, in the more rural areas. The mansion they had stopped at was on top of a secluded hill. Woods of trees were scattered on the hill with the road they followed disappearing into the groves of trees. Eriol paid the driver and thanked him for his services. The group piled out and took their duffle bags out from the trunk. The driver drove off.

No one said anything. They followed Eriol as he walked up the porch and knocked on the front door. There was a moment of silence where all they could hear was the chirping of unseen birds, and then the sound of someone unlocking the door from the other side reached their curious ears. They (excluding Eriol) stared and waited expectantly to see who was opening the door--

"Mizuki-sensei?" Sakura blurted out, eyes wide in wonder.

Kaho smiled. She didn't look surprised to see them.

The last time Sakura, Syaoran, Meiling and Tomoyo had seen Kaho was in primary school, during the card capturing days.

"Ah, Eriol-sama!" Nakuru popped up out of nowhere as she peered at them from over Kaho's shoulders. "Took you long enough! ...Not that I'm surprised or anything."

"My apologies. It was traffic." Eriol bowed. He straightened himself and looked inquiringly at his guardian and at Kaho. "Well, are we going to be let in?"

"Oh! Of course," Kaho quickly moved to the side, ushering Nakuru with her to allow the other's entrance.

They filed in just as Eriol's guardian went off rambling:

"Yue's here, Sakura-chan. He's been here all morning. He's _so_ boring. I mean, yes, he's gorgeous, but he needs to lighten up some. He totally ruined the happy-go atmosphere of this place with his Prince Icy attitude."

Sakura bit back a laugh.

"I think Clow Reed lost all sense of humor when he created Yue," Nakuru continued. She was chewing a bubble gum just as rapidly as she was talking. "Or maybe it was all just wasted on Kero-chan. But then again, he did a poor job on Kero, too --"

"Oi! I AM here you know!" Kero came flying out of Sakura's duffle bag.

Nakuru blinked at him. "Oh..." And then a light bulb clicked on somewhere in her head as she snatched Kero from the air and skipped off with him. "Oh now I get to have fun with you _and _Suppi-chan!"

"Saaaaaaaave me, Saaaakura!" Kero called out to his Mistress. Sakura smiled apologetically and waved him off.

"Sorry, Kero-chan!"

They went into the living room and true to Nakuru's word, there was Yue. He was standing by the tall window with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked up as soon as they entered. There was tea on the table, already made for its expected guests. Kaho urged them to sit down.

"They won't be staying for very long, Kaho," Eriol said.

"I know. But at least let them have tea before they go. They'll need the extra warmth."

"Mizuki-sensei, I didn't know you lived here now," Sakura said as she looked around the room in wonder. Several filled bookcases lined the walls, along with several tall windows that ran from the floor and reached to the very ceiling.

"You don't have to call me Mizuki-sensei," Kaho insisted, smiling. "I am no longer your teacher. I haven't been for a while."

Sakura blushed somewhat. "Old habit."

She nodded in understanding, and then:

"This," Kaho gestured around, "is only a temporary stay until things are settled."

Meaning, while whatever threat was threatening the world, Kaho would be staying in Japan. After it was gone, she'd go back to England, and so would Eriol and Nakuru and Spinel Sun.

"Kaho will be taking you to the Gatekeeper," Eriol explained, even though they probably figured it out for themselves. But an understanding look dawned upon Sakura's face, so at least Eriol was sure _everyone _knew now.

"Then shouldn't we go now?" Syaoran asked. "We are wasting time here."

"It will not take you all week to find the card," Eriol assured. "And even then, I would not worry much."

"Still." Syaoran stood up calmly, expression blank. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get this over with. I don't want to spend too much time in Russia."

Li Syaoran hates cold climates.

And Russia is all about cold climates.

"I suggest you change first. You'd freeze to death the moment you arrived there in the clothes you are wearing now," Kaho said lightly; playfully.

Ah, right...

---

They were standing in front of a wardrobe (think like Chronicles of Narnia wardrobe, hehe), all dressed in snow-gear... and dying. It was too warm in Tokyo to wear clothes fit for the snow. The clothes they were wearing had been designed by Tomoyo herself, something she made a year or so ago but never had anyone to put them on. And by chance they just happened to be the perfect size for everyone. No one complained about what they were wearing because it wasn't as 'bad' as they thought the outfits would be. On the contrary, as Tomoyo grew, her designing matured.

The clothes they wore were comfortable enough and smooth enough to move around in with ease. The pants nor the jackets were too thick that they'd deter any movement, but they weren't too thin that they'd freeze to death. They were all supplied with goggles and boots as well. It looked as if they were going skiing or snow boarding, but they were expecting a lot of snow in Russia. After all, it snowed all year round in Russia -- snow every day. No one really knew why this was so. They supposed it was because of global warming (warning?).

"Um... Why're we standing in front of a _wardrobe?_" Meiling asked skeptically. She felt like she was in some twisted version of _The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe._

There was no answer to her question. Kaho fished out a key. It was an old-looking key, long, like something that would fit into the lock on the wardrobe (of course). It was hanging on the chain around her neck. She inserted the key into the hole and turned it. There was a satisfying click as she withdrew the key and opened the doors. Meiling went dot-eyed as she stared at the many coats hanging in the wardrobe.

_God. I'll die of a heart attack if this thing takes us to Narnia._

"This will take you to the Gatekeeper," Kaho explained. "Just go straight, and do not change direction. If you make any sudden turns, you will wander forever and never find a way out."

Sakura and Meiling exchanged looks. They gulped loudly.

"Is it just me or does this remind me of a certain lion and witch and a wardrobe?" Kero muttered as he popped up between Meiling and Sakura. He had finally been able to escape the evil clutches of Nakuru-spawn before she could get him into a tutu. Meiling glanced at him and was about to voice her agreement when she remembered that her and the stuffed animal aren't supposed to agree on things and instead kept silent.

Something suddenly hit Sakura as she turned to Eriol. "Eriol-kun? How will we know where the card is at? Moscow isn't all that small, I think..."

"I would tell you where it is if I knew its exact location." Eriol looked at the wardrobe thoughtfully. "But I don't. All I can say is for you to rely on your instincts. It will guide you to it."

...Though they couldn't help but wonder if he really _would _tell them where it is if he knew.

"Well, let's go," Syaoran urged. He was standing in front of the open wardrobe with one foot inside.

Sakura nodded and followed him in.

Yue went after her, and then Tomoyo, and Meiling, and last Kero.

The doors shut behind them just as they heard Nakuru yelling in dismay: "Wait, Kero-chan! Your tutu...!"

---

"Just keep going straight," Syaoran murmured to himself and the others as he pushed his way through the coats. There was a lot of them; too much that it seemed like they'd never find an end.

They kept going and pushing and going and pushing...

And on and on...

and on...

It was at the point that Meiling was 100 convinced they were going to find a lamppost waiting for them at the end. She was even more convinced when they saw a white light at the end. Well, she supposed Narnia wouldn't be _that _bad...

But she didn't feel any snow-filled trees as they reached the growing light. She didn't feel any icy air or hear snow crunch beneath her feet. She, and the others, were surprised though when they stumbled out of another wardrobe and found themselves in a pitch-white world. Right, left, and straight it was a world of never ending white.

"Keep going straight," Syaoran repeated. He walked straight on, with the others following.

Their footsteps echoed off the ground and faded into the distance. At one point Sakura glanced over her shoulder. She couldn't see the wardrobe any longer. And for a while all they did was walk and all they saw was whiteness. It became unnerving not knowing if they were heading straight and in the right direction. The girls looked anxious. Yue and Syaoran looked calm and passive. Kero was in his false form, perched on Sakura's head, looking just as anxious as the girls.

"What if we might have accidentally made a turn somewhere earlier?" Sakura voiced all their worries.

"Even if we did, there's nothing we can do now. We just have to keep on walking," Syaoran said calmly. But his brows creased. He was worried to.

And they did.

They kept walking

and walking...

and walking -

and walking

and

walking

a

nd

walk

ing

...until it seemed to Meiling that she'd scream of madness. She couldn't take it anymore. It was too white in there. She didn't know where she was. It felt like they've been walking _forever. _She wanted to go ba -

"Hey, look!"

Everyone looked up to where Sakura pointed. They could see something up ahead... something... _finally _they were getting somewhere...

They all broke into a run, except for Kero and Yue. Kero clung to Sakura's hood while Yue flew (Yue's too graceful to run).

The speck or dot or whatever it was they saw up ahead started to grow closer, bigger - much, _much _bigger as they approached. First they saw a building -- or temple -- and then they saw a fountain in front of it, and then a pavement that ran from the building and through the grass. There were a few trees on either side of the complex, and then much more behind the building. The place looked deserted, but more welcoming than anything else in that white world they had been walking aimlessly through.

And as they drew nearer they realized the place wasn't _as _deserted as they thought it was. A woman was there. A tall woman. She looked as if she'd been waiting for them... Well, the person _looked _like a woman from afar. They weren't too sure of the person's gender as they approached and got closer and were close enough to determine their physical appearance. He or she was tall, yes, but the person's stature looked masculine (and semi-feminine, if possible). Their face was the most feminine feature -- soft and gentle and beautiful looking... and long black hair pulled back in a loose pony tail. And their eyes... they were gold... a beautiful golden color that reminded them of a cat's eyes.

But there was something else strange about this person. They looked neither good nor evil; trustworthy nor untrustworthy. She or he was somewhere in-between good and evil; if there was such a thing.

The person held their arms apart and smiled.

"Welcome. I am the Gatekeeper."

The group stared dumbfounded (besides Yue. Yue was too composed and gorgeous to look dumbfounded).

And since Eriol and Kero referred to the Gatekeeper as male earlier, it was safe to assume the Gatekeeper was, indeed, male.

"Ano..." Sakura was rendered speechless. The man was positively _beautiful. _But she composed herself enough to bow. "I am Kinomoto Sakura."

"Card Mistress, you needn't bow to me," the Gatekeeper assured with a gentle smile. Sakura blinked as she suddenly felt a fingertip lift her chin up. She realized the Gatekeeper was standing right in front of her. She stood up straight and found herself blushing from his intense gaze and bright eyes. "And I already know who you are, Card Mistress, and your companions: Daidouji Tomoyo, Li Meiling and Li Syaoran, Yue and Keroberos... Guardian of the Moon and Guardian of the Seal."

He smiled at Sakura before taking a step back and observing the group.

"I know what it is you all seek for..." The Gatekeeper took a few steps to the side and stopped in front of Syaoran. Golden eyes bore into amber ones. "Normally something would have to be given to me in return, but I do not want anything." He leaned in towards Syaoran. Something flickered in those bright eyes, making them burn brighter, fiercer. He leaned in so his lips were right next to Syaoran's ear. And to him the Gatekeeper murmured, "I only have a request -- that you do not give in to your demons."

Syaoran opened his mouth to say something, but what he didn't know, so he closed it and simply stared at the Gatekeeper as he straightened himself, still smiling.

"Once you are done with your business I will come to you," the Gatekeeper said.

It was then they noticed a pair of heavy oaken doors behind the Gatekeeper. Was it always there, standing behind him unnoticed? No... they hadn't seen it earlier. So when did it get there? The Gatekeeper reached into his sleeve and pulled out a silver key. He inserted it into the keyhole and turned it once, twice, thrice, and then click. He pulled the key out and the doors swung open automatically. Cold air whipped harshly at them.

"Do not let rage blind you," the Gatekeeper murmured softly. But whether he murmured or shouted they didn't know. It sounded as clear as if he were saying it into their ear.

One by one they filed in to the door - first Kero, now in his full form, Keroberos, and then Tomoyo and Meiling. Syaoran followed after. Sakura lingered at the door as she glanced at the Gatekeeper from over her shoulder. He smiled encouragingly. She smiled back. Yue stood behind her and pressed his palm lightly against her back, urging her to go forward. She did, and her Guardian followed right after. The huge oaken doors slowly shut behind them.

Sakura couldn't really describe the sensation she felt after stepping through the door. It felt like... as if the world or time sighed, and she seemed to sigh, too, though she wasn't sure whether she sighed or not. But the world -- or was it time? -- sighed, and in one smooth second -- or was it a minute, or an hour? -- she found herself blinking. They were no longer in the realm of the Gatekeeper, but rather in Moscow, Russia. How did she know this? Because there was snow beneath her feet, and snow all around them; snow that had long since piled on buildings and buried them, and snow that drifted leisurely from the gray sky.

Well they weren't exactly standing _in _Moscow. They could see the city up ahead from a hill they stood on.

"Shall we go?" Sakura looked at the others.

They carried on without another word, but then --

"Wait!"

They stopped and turned around to see Tomoyo digging through her duffle bag. She beamed when she found what she was looking for and whipped out her video camera. She turned it on and held it up before waving at the others. "Okay, carry on!"

"It'll take us too long if we walk," Syaoran commented. "Let's fly."

Sakura nodded in agreement as she summoned her Seventh Star staff. She tapped the butt of the staff on the snow twice and wings suddenly sprouted from the ends. She hopped on, with Syaoran behind her. Tomoyo and Meiling clambered on to Keroberos and the group took off flying. From where they were airborne they could see that Moscow was a very much abandoned city as people claimed it to be. No one knew the _exact _reason for it being abandoned -- everyone supposed it was because of the constant snow, even during the spring and summer seasons. No one even remembered when the snow kept coming or what happened to the people of Moscow. Everyone just concluded they left the city and moved somewhere else.

But before the city had been abandoned, factories were added and built there, extending the place further out. It was said they were shut down before the citizens left Moscow, but no one really knows anymore. Anything involved in the past was forgotten, just like world war three. Maybe someone intentionally erased history, Sakura contemplated thoughtfully, though it sounded very unlikely and impossible. It was hard to erase history... but somehow... somehow everyone forgot... no one knew... it's as if it never happened.

But Eriol said it happened -- and why would he lie to them? He may have the twisted mind of a dead sorcerer, but he was far from a liar. He may not tell them some facts but he never told them lies. Sakura trusted everything Eriol tells them.

_So what had happened in the past exactly... to make it forgotten?_

"-- Sakura! Watch out!"

She snapped out of her musings in time to dodge something coming right at her and Syaoran. Sakura looked over her shoulder, but whatever it was, was well out of sight.

"What _was _that?"

"An arrow." Yue hovered next to them. His eyes was trained on something below.

Sakura squinted. There was something standing in front of Moscow -- a person, Sakura concluded.

"Do you think the person's an... enemy?"

"Well if they attacked, they must be," Keroberos muttered. Fire was already gathering in his mouth, licking out from the gaps between his fangs.

"Kero-chan, don't --" Sakura started, but he released the ball of fire before he could take any warning into consideration. It went flying straight at their attacker. They all watched as the figure stood there, and then jumped suddenly as if realizing what was coming at them. The fireball crashed on the ground next to them and it appeared the person's coat caught on fire because whoever it was, was running around shouting and hollering inaudible words with a small ball of fire clinging to them.

Sakura and them settled on the ground just in time to see their attacker stop, drop and roll. They all ran over -- Syaoran ahead with his sword drawn. The man was muttering something in a foreign language, Russian, they supposed. As soon as he extinguished the fire caught on the hem of his coat, the man stood up and dusted himself of any snow that stuck to him. He lifted his head up when noticing them and asked something in that same foreign language. When all he received was blank and hostile stares, he cleared his throat and switched to something they would understand:

"What _is _your problem attacking me like that!"

Keroberos stepped up boldly. "_Excuse _me? _You _attacked us first!"

"What? I did no such thing!"

"The arrow...?" Sakura trailed off.

"..Ooh that. Yeah. I was trying to get your attention. I didn't hurt anyone, I hope?"

Sakura sighed and lowered her staff down, concluding this man was no enemy. "No, you didn't. And I hope Kero-chan didn't hurt you...?"

He beamed. "Dmitri. My name's Dmitri. And no, your... creature did not hurt me."

Dmitri looked to be their age with dark brown eyes and short black hair -- or, well, short black hair that they couldn't see and didn't know he had at the moment because of the fur hat he wore (so let's keep this between you and me). He was wearing a gray coat that crossed and buttoned to the other side of his chest, and shin-length boots. A piece of his coat looked as if it were chewed off (but they knew it was because Keroberos had caught it on fire).

Keroberos' fur seemed to stand on end at being called a 'creature.' He was about to retort something when Syaoran intervened: "And who are you exactly? We believed this city was abandoned."

"Ahh, yeah, Moscow's abandoned," Dmitri reassured, glancing at the dead city over his shoulder. "But I don't come from here, if that's what you were thinking. I was sent here."

Syaoran eyed him warily. "By who?"

Instead of answering his question, Dmitri went off rambling: "-- Well not necessarily _sent _here -- more of I was _requested _to come here. That old fart Clow Reed or his reincarnation or whatever asked me to come here because he knows I've been doing some scavenging around Moscow and that I've sensed some strange things around here --"

"Wait, you mean Eriol?" Sakura blinked.

"Yeah, him," Dmitri nodded thoughtfully. "So as I was saying, I sensed some strange things around here and I went to investigate it --"

It was then Syaoran noticed something _different _about this Dmitri -- not so much as different compared to them, but different compared to a _normal _person.

"You're a sorcerer."

Dmitri paused, startled by his 'accusation,' before waving his hand dismissively. "Yeah, I am. So _anyway..."_

"I never realized there were other sorcerers..." Sakura commented out loud in wonder. She _knew _there were others besides herself, Eriol and Syaoran and members of the Li Clan, but she never expected to meet any... not while she was away from home, anyway.

Dmitri looked impatient. "Look, do you wanna hear what I have to say or not?"

Sakura smiled apologetically. "Gomen. Carry on."

"...So yeah, I went to investigate but... I couldn't really find anything. I called ol' Eriol up and he told me to just leave it be. I assume he knows what it is. Then he called me up not too long ago and told me he was sending down some people to take care of it and that he'd like for me to show you! So, here I am!" And Dmitri beamed proudly.

They blinked at him.

"And I don't think I quite got your names yet."

"I'm Kinomoto Sakura."

"Ahh, you must be the Card Mistress Eriol told me of."

"Keroberos." The Guardian of the Seal puffed his chest out proudly, expecting some kind of recognition from the Russian teenager, but he merely blinked. "--Guardian of the Seal? Y'know... the Clow Book?"

A light bulb clicked somewhere in his head. "Ahh, so the icy fellow over there must be Yue..."

"This is Li Syaoran, and his cousin, Meiling," Sakura said, gesturing at Syaoran and Meiling. "And this is To --"

Dmitri slid right up to Tomoyo and took her hands in his. "And _who _is this gorgeous angel?"

Tomoyo blinked in surprise, obviously taken aback. "Pardon?"

"Never in all my life have I met such a beautiful lady." Dmitri removed his hat (confirming his black hair) and swept forward in a gallant bow. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of her palm. "And what is the name of this beauty?"

Tomoyo had momentarily lowered her camera in absolute astonishment. But no worries, Meiling took it and picked up where she left off.

"I'm... Daidouji Tomoyo..."

"Ah, such a lovely name for such a lovely lady." Dmitri stood up straight and smiled a charming smile. "I offer you my services, Tomoyo."

She blinked and then smiled. "It's not necessary."

"But I insist!"

"Well..." Tomoyo laughed lightly. "Thank you then."

"And what a lovely laugh you have!" Dmitri praised enthusiastically.

Meiling was recording all of it, all the meanwhile stifling her laugh.

This was priceless.

"Tomoyo-chan has had many admirers..." Sakura commented with a finger to her chin. An amused smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "But none of them as open as this one."

"I pity her," Syaoran murmured.

Sakura giggled. "Personally, I think she's enjoying it."

Tomoyo linked her arm around Dmitri's as they walked into Moscow.

"Now, Dmitri... have you ever considered... _modeling...?_"

_---_

It was fascinating – Sakura and Tomoyo thought – hearing about other sorcerers besides their knowledge of the Li Clan, Clow Reed, Eriol, and Sakura herself. They were subconsciously aware of the fact that they couldn't be the only living sorcerers left in the world, but they never _dwelled _on such a thought before. And here was Dmitri – living proof that there _were _others like them, others outside of Asia (even though Russia _is _technically part of Asia) – out there in the European and Western worlds…

The others – meaning Meiling, Syaoran, Yue and Keroberos – weren't that interested to hear much from Dmitri, nor were they fascinated by the very idea of other magical wielders. Meiling and Keroberos listened though, mostly because they had nothing better to do, and Yue and Syaoran looked disinterested by Dmitri, and by Moscow itself.

"Y'see… I'm not really acquainted with ol' Reed's reincarnation," Dmitri was saying as he guided the group through the abandoned city. "But my family can be traced back to the World War III days – y'know, the days of the Forgotten War." Sakura and Tomoyo nodded. "So, my ancestors were familiar with Clow Reed – but so are all the other sorcerers. He was a famous guy, that Clow Reed. And anyway, my ancestors used to live here in Moscow, but there's no kept records about what happened, so for a while my family's been comin' down here tryin' to find clues about anything…"

"And that's when you felt something strange and wanted to investigate, but contacted Eriol instead?" Tomoyo finished off. She was (still) video taping (after getting her camera back from Meiling, that is).

Dmitri nodded.

"But how did you know Clow Reed was reincarnated?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Clow Reed's a famous fellow," Dmitri repeated, as if that explained _everything. _But it didn't, so he continued: "I've seen the reincarnation myself – or half of it, anyway, the half that goes by the name of Eriol. He has a habit of poppin' up, y'know? I think he takes it upon himself to let everyone know he's alive again. And word gets around sorcerers fast, _especially _when it comes to something like Clow Reed being reborn."

Aa… well that did make some sense.

"And it's good for sorcerers to stay in contact with other sorcerers, and know what others are out there," Dmitri said. "If you ever need help or you're in a fix and you don't know how to handle it, you can contact somebody. When it involves anything out of the ordinary, like feeling weird things, then we normally contact Eriol – always immediately."

To Syaoran, that didn't sound like a _safe _idea.

And when it concerned someone like a reincarnation of Clow Reed, aged sorcerers just kind of _know _when he's around – such as the Li Elders. They knew there was a reincarnation of Clow Reed – two halves out there somewhere. Now if only they could just find the other half…

"Have you ever met any other sorcerers?" Sakura asked curiously. Oh yes, she was fascinated by these other magical people out there in the world.

"Of course!" Dmitri puffed out his chest. "You should meet one of those western magicians – y'know, out there in the Americas and stuff. They're _crazy."_

"So I'm guessing you've seen a lot of the world?" Her emerald eyes were wide in amazement.

"Yup!"

"Sugoi…"

Syaoran scowled and looked around, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Personally, he just wanted to get _out _of Moscow as fast as possible. Although the others were talking, the rest of the city _sounded _like some eerie Ghost Town. There was absolutely no life. _All _buildings were abandoned. The factories that were built were left long ago never to be worked in again. It was rather dirty and dusty there, old soot getting caught in the wind, making it look like black snow was falling from the sky.

"Y'know, if we're not in any rush I think it'd be about time to take a rest," Dmitri suggested. "Maybe eat something."

Syaoran was about to protest when Sakura held her hands over her growling stomach. She looked at Syaoran meekly, and he sighed, nodding his approval.

"A rest will do."

---

They found an old abandoned shack and decided to stay there. It was cold and dingy, and the place itself was made of all wood, but they gathered some pieces of furnace and wooden boards and made a small fire at the center of the old rundown shack. Tomoyo poured them all hot chocolate (having brought a thermos of hot water for meals like this) and boiled a cup of instant ramen for everyone. Although it wasn't the _healthiest _choice for eating, it was the only thing they could bring. They weren't about to bring a whole kitchen with them just so they could prepare _proper _meals…

Dmitri was currently in the process of teaching Kero, Meiling and Tomoyo how to play a card game called _speed, _a game he learned while staying in America for a while. Yue was standing by the window, peering outside.

"The wind is picking up," the angel murmured. "There's going to be a blizzard."

"I guess we'll be stuck here for a while," Sakura said with a sigh, although she didn't mind. But, like Syaoran, she didn't want to be there any longer than they had to. Moscow was too cold for _all _of them. She took a sip of her hot chocolate. She was sitting by the fire.

Syaoran came over and draped a blanket around her shoulders (an extra provision they had packed for nights they'd have to spend sleeping), noticing how she was shivering lightly. Sakura smiled gratefully up at him as he sat down next to her.

She could recall other times where her and Syaoran sat by a fire.

Such as when they were younger and capturing the Clow Cards or converting them…

There was that time they went on a ski trip for school, and her and Syaoran were down in the lodge, the fire cackling in the hearth.

When they were stranded in the elevator and Syaoran lit one of this fire ofudas because it was dark in there…

That night when Sakura found Syaoran and Meiling being attacked by those shadow creatures, and they camped the night out at Sakura's house…

Yeah, they have a knack for being caught around the fire.

"I was thinking…" Syaoran started speaking, and Sakura glanced at him curiously.

He wasn't looking at her.

"…about what Eriol was saying… how these… Thirteen Cards drain you," he was mumbling, but she could hear him loud and clear, and she couldn't help but smile.

He was _worried! _How sweet.

"I'm fine, Syaoran," Sakura assured. He looked at her and she was smiling openly at him.

She was fine _now. _

But how much longer until she's _not _fine?

How much longer will it be before the cards start taking an effect?

How much longer will it be before her life's _really _in da --

Sakura lightly nudged him with her shoulder before leaning on him, her lips still tugged into a small smile. She knew what he was thinking about. "Really."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You don't have to worry about me, silly."

He frowned somewhat, but sighed, finding some reassurance in her smile and words. Sakura didn't budge from her spot, even if she realized she was leaning on him. They both enjoyed any comfort they could give to the other. The Card Mistress closed her eyes as she felt herself still being sleepy. The nap in the taxi wasn't exactly the most satisfying and refreshing nap, nor did it compensate for the little sleep she got last night. At least while there was going to be a blizzard, she could sleep…

Syaoran brought an arm around her shoulders, tugging her close so her head was tucked beneath his chin. He let her sleep.

It was going to be a long time before the blizzard died down, he figured.

Syaoran picked up Sakura and carried her over to the wall where he sat down and set her beside him, pulling her back into his arms as he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He might as well get some rest, too.

---

"—_What! _You cheated!"

"Shh, Kero-chan!"

"Nani?"

Tomoyo pointed over to where Sakura and Syaoran were sleeping.

"Oh…" And Kero lowered his voice and returned back to glaring at the cards. He lost to Dmitri – _again _– in that western game of speed. And one thing the Almighty and Great Keroberos didn't like doing was _losing._

"Rematch!"

"It's my turn to play, stuffed animal," Meiling interrupted, flicking him from his spot and gesturing for Dmitri to deal the cards.

"Kero-chan…" Tomoyo warned, noticing _that _look in Kero's eyes – the look he always made whenever he was angry enough to transform himself into his true form and light something on fire. "I don't think Sakura-chan would be too happy if you burnt this shack down."

He merely crossed his chubby paws and huffed, fluttering his tiny wings and joining his fellow Guardian by the window.

Yue was looking as serious as ever – nothing new there.

"I feel something strange," Yue murmured, never once tearing his gaze away from the window.

Kero sat at the sill, feet crossed Indian-style. "So you felt it, too?"

The angel nodded.

"Yeah…" Kero looked out the window. "And it doesn't feel like a card, either."

---

Syaoran awoke to silence, an uncomfortable pain in his neck and back, and warmth. He looked down at the auburn haired girl sleeping on him. Carefully, he moved her so she was leaning on the wall and then stood up, stretching, feeling sore all over his body. It never felt good sleeping while sitting, but at least he even got any sleep. The others were still sleeping – Kero muttering profanities beneath his breath as he slept on Tomoyo's pillow. Yue wasn't anywhere in sight.

There was no more blizzard. Syaoran figured he fell asleep before it began, and it was well over before he awoke. How long was he sleeping for, anyway? By the looks of it, it was sometime in the night.

He walked over to the door and pulled it open, a wisp of air flying through and leaking in flakes of snow. He stepped out and looked around. There was more snow piled around the city from the blizzard that took place while he slept, and tiny snowflakes fluttering from the sky as the aftermath settled in. Something caught his attention and he turned around slightly, lifting his gaze upwards to find Yue sitting perched on the ledge of the shack's roof.

The tiny shack they had chosen to take refuge in was on a tiny hill next to one of the old factories. If he just walked a bit forward he'd be on one of the levels of the factory – a balcony that had a good view of said factory.

For some reason, ever since the episode with Sorrow, Syaoran felt as if Yue was watching him. He didn't know why, but the Moon Guardian was keeping an eye on him. The Li boy walked over to the ledge of the balcony and leaned on the railing. The same black dust from earlier drifted downwards in thin sheets, although it was more prevalent and thick up ahead. It was dark, but the coats of soot made it look darker.

There was no sign of stars in Moscow; no sign of the moon.

It was a lightless night.

A silent, cold night.

Syaoran frowned as he stood up, hands on the rail. He could feel Yue's eyes boring through the back of his scull.

"Do you not trust me, Yue?"

He glanced at the silver-haired angel from over his shoulder.

"No," came his simple response.

"Aa…" Syaoran creased his brows, turning his gaze back to the scenery. "Why not? You've never distrusted me before in the past."

But the silent Guardian remained silent.

Syaoran didn't know why Yue didn't trust him – he's never given the angel a reason _not _to trust him.

He closed his eyes and wondered.

---

The shadows of Moscow seemed to come alive as the clouds shifted to reveal a glimpse of the moon. They glided across the snow, darted over roofs and along walls. Silently they moved, because shadows couldn't make a noise, even if they tried. There were no footsteps or streak marks on the snow to show that they were moving and they had been there. But they were there, and they were moving towards the little shack.

They started to gather around the shack and the balcony where the angel and the human sorcerer were at; some shadows gliding up the length of the balcony. The Guardian nor the boy gave any sign of noticing the shadows as they took form as dark creatures. And slowly they stepped and advanced, still not making even the slightest of footprints in the snow.

And one so dared to be bold as to leap over the balcony and attack the 'unsuspecting' boy, but the boy wasn't as unsuspecting as they thought. He lashed out a sword and sliced the creature in half. It seemed to vanquish into the night.

The other shadow demons saw it as their hint to attack as well, and they did in groups, some heading towards the shack, others making their way to he boy with the sword that mercilessly hacked them down.

Yue spread his wings and lifted himself into the air, ice shards gathering in the palm of his hand. With a flick of his wrist he sent the piercing ice shards, stabbing several demons and causing them to shudder and crumble to the ground.

Syaoran ducked as one leaped for his head, and he stabbed another that tried to slice him with claw-shaped hands. From his peripheral vision he noticed a swarm of shadows making their way towards the shack and he whipped out an ofuda and tossed it forward, slamming the flat of his blade against it as he called out:

"_Kashin shourai!"_

Fire whipped out, taking the shape of a dragon as it clashed through a line of demons and disintegrated them. He ran into the shack just as Yue flew to block the entrance from the advancing shadow demons, an arrow loaded to his bow. Syaoran roused the others.

"Stuffed Animal, get Meiling and Tomoyo somewhere safe," Syaoran instructed as he went over to shake Sakura awake. "And Dmitri… let's see just how useful you are."

Dmitri merely yawned and stretched his arms into the air. "Mm… What's goin' on anyway?"

"We're being attacked."

Sakura rubbed her eyes groggily to see Tomoyo and Meiling getting everything packed. She heard Syaoran say 'We're being attacked,' and asked almost immediately: "By what?"

"Shadow demons."

"Aa, those little rascals," Dmitri mused. He pulled out a short stick from the inside of his jacket. It looked the length of a forearm. He was inspecting it before tapping it against his thigh, and it suddenly expanded into a staff. Dmitri left the shack, to help Yue, Syaoran supposed.

Syaoran went out after him and Sakura stayed behind to help Tomoyo and Meiling get everything together. They ran out of the shack to find Yue, Dmitri and Syaoran fending off the creatures themselves. Tomoyo and Meiling clambered on to Keroberos' back.

"Take them somewhere high, Kero-chan," Sakura said, patting him on the head. "And watch them. We'll be fine."

He nodded his furry head and took flight.

Sakura summoned her (Seventh) Star Staff and went over to join the fight, almost instantly her staff turning into a sword.

Dmitri twirled his shaolin staff in an arc, bringing it down forcefully upon a creature, and then lashing it violently at a few others as he turned his whole body around. With expertise and grace, the staff seemed to come alive in his hands as he spun it around, the staff emitting a buzzing noise. He pressed the butt of it against the ground and jumped up, kicking a couple of the demons away from himself.

Yue loaded another arrow to his bow. A swarm of the pests were coming at him. Still looking as calm as ever, Yue released the arrow and it shot a thick, clear path through the demons – but that path was instantly covered up by more replacements. Yue's frown seemed to deepen at this as he lifted himself into the air, his wings beating against the icy winds of Russia.

Syaoran slid one foot forward as he smoothly crouched in a fighting position before swinging his sword in a downward arc, bringing it up and cutting his way through a shadow that had pounced at him. He came down and slashed at another, and then twirled around and hacked at two more. He lost count of how many he had gotten rid of by then, because it seemed no matter what he did, more just kept coming.

Sakura was in the same position, but she was fighting back-to-back with Syaoran. At one point she summoned the Light, but more simply came right back as soon as the light died down.

"What're we supposed to do?" Sakura asked from over her shoulder, swinging her sword horizontally to strike down a demon that jumped at her. "There's too many of them!"

"We have to get out of here," Syaoran said through gritted teeth, striking some down with a lightning ofuda. "…Somehow."

"This _is _growing rather tiresome," Dmitri commented. He was standing on the ledge of the balcony, hacking down at whatever dared to come near him. "Let's see if I can do something about this…"

And, leaping down from the rail of the balcony, he spun his staff around, creating a clear circle among the swarm of creatures. He struck the butt of his staff against the ground, murmuring loud and clear:

"_His heart is frozen…"_

Syaoran and Sakura glanced curiously to see what Dmitri was doing, and Sakura's eyes widened in slight realization as she saw Dmitri's aura clinging close to his body before releasing and seeping into the ground, creating a symbol beneath him.

"_He does not cry, they say. Fire cannot reach him. Lightning cannot breach him. The winds that move north, south, east and west: may they reach him. They give him my message."_

The same symbol beneath Dmitri formed a couple of feet away from him. The shadow creatures seemed wary of his glowing seal because they cowered away from it, yet curiously drawn to see what was coming.

"_They carry my message to him."_

And just like when Nonna was summoned, something started to rise from the seal in the ground, something bigger than the fairy demon Eriol had summoned when Sakura witnessed her first summoning. She watched in apt fascination as it rose from the ground, slowly, as if waking up from some deep slumber. First its head, and then its shoulders, and then its front paws and it pulled the rest of its body out. The only thing that came close to looking like what Dmitri had summoned was saying it looked like Keroberos – but it was bigger, fiercer looking. It looked like some majestic white tiger – but bigger, deadlier, more beautiful. Streaks of icy blue stained its snow white fur. It blinked with shimmering pale blue eyes and it threw its great head back and roared, revealing two roars of razor sharp fangs.

A necklace decorated with feathers and fangs of other creatures dangled from its wide throat. It had a mane – kind of like a horse's mane – but it stuck up more. Its tail hung behind it, swaying slowly, hypnotically, dangerously. The seal beneath Dmitri and the beast disappeared, and Dmitri plucked his shaolin staff from the ground and approached the creature, grinning and patting it roughly against its side.

"I thought you weren't gonna show up for a sec!"

The beast tilted its head so it was looking at Dmitri. Sakura shouldn't have been surprised to hear it speak, because she has her own beast that can talk, and then there's Spinel Sun, but it still left her in wonder. "I wasn't about to."

Its voice was soft and gentle and rough and low at the same time.

"Think you can do me a favor and get rid of these little pests for us?" Dmitri asked, gesturing at said 'pests.'

The beast scanned around, noticing Yue, Sakura and Syaoran for the first time. "Which ones? The angel and the humans or the shadow demons?"

Sakura gulped visibly. She would've laughed nervously.

Dmitri laughed. "The shadow demons, duh."

"Still too lazy to do your own dirty business, I see," the beast drawled out disinterestedly.

"Ano… we'd be grateful if you helped us," Sakura said, holding her staff in front of her and bowing.

"Hm…" The beast closed its eyes, debating. "Fine. I'm in a nice mood."

Dmitri chuckled. "You know you were _dying _of boredom and you're more than glad to do _some_thing."

It let out a sound that Sakura supposed was a snort. It stretched and arched its back, its ears twitching and its tail still swaying with its own life.

"Who…?" Sakura started to ask Dmitri just as it took off in a run, pouncing on a group of shadow creatures and ripping them apart with teeth and claws.

Dmitri grinned. "That there's Kivak. He's from another world, and he calls himself Kivakalasomething, Guardian of the Southern Quadrant of some other dimension, or world, called Kalevala."

Kivak ran by, throwing himself into another swarm of shadow creatures.

He seemed to be everywhere at once – crushing, tearing, ripping and smashing the little demons.

"I summoned him once on accident, when I was younger," Dmitri was saying. "And since then we kept a contract."

The shadow creatures started to retreat.

"He's really useful in situations like these," Dmitri commented thoughtfully.

Indeed he is.

After Kivak chased them off, he returned back to the group.

Sakura was fidgeting nervously, and Kivak looked at her with an expression that made her feel that he was raising his eyebrow. "What is it, human?"

"Can I… ano…" Sakura looked down timidly, twiddling her thumbs. "Can I… pet you?"

Kivak looked genuinely surprised by her innocent request.

Dmitri laughed, and Syaoran would've laughed, but he didn't laugh… not around a lot of people, anyway. But Li Syaoran smirks – so he smirked, mostly from amusement. Yue merely quirked an eyebrow.

Kivak nodded all the same, and Sakura brightened immensely as she stroked his silky fur. _Kero's _fur was always too rough and mangled and sometimes she'd find knots – but Kivak's fur was smooth and it was obvious he kept himself well groomed.

"You're very pretty," Sakura complimented, smiling. "And your fur's really nice."

Kivak simply blinked at her.

This human child amused him.

"We should probably go find Keroberos and the others," Yue said, looking down at his Mistress.

She nodded in agreement. "Yes, let's."

Kivak decided he'd stick around.

It's been a while since anything interesting has happened, anyway.

* * *

**To be continued.**

* * *

**-**has been playing too much FFVII and watching too much Naruto- 

Aaaanyways,

_End Notes:_

**Concerning E+T: **Yes, there was reference to it on Meiling's part, but it was just Meiling musing over the idea. It's not supposed to hint at any possibilities of E+T because I'm not even sure if I want to have E+T in this fic. I _am _a supporter of the couple, but I just don't know if pairing them up will be right for this fic. It's just that I've been juggling over the issues as to why in CCS there was never any obvious hints that it would be E+T (like how obvious it was with S+S), and it just makes sense that though they're perfect for each other, it seems that they're _too _perfect for each other.

But I'm still debating over it. I think I might have _some_thing for them.

**Kaho: **While writing the scene with Kaho... I had realized that I've never used Kaho in any of my fics... at least I don't think so... -scratches head-

**Gatekeeper: **I got the inspiration for him from Neil Gaiman's _The Sandman: Endless Nights. _If you've read it and you remember the guy that looked like a girl (from the 'Desire' chapter), the Gatekeeper's s'posed to look somethin' like him. AND IF YOU'VE NEVER READ ANY OF THE SANDMAN COMIC SERIES THEN OMG I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU DO. So far all I've read is Endless Nights and another book with a collection of Neil Gaiman's short stories, but he's a fantabulous writer, and the illustrators that draws the comics for the Sandman series are fantabulous and wonderful also.

**Moscow**: I'm sure it sounds weird that the CCS cast is in Moscow, Russia of all places... but I wanted the cast to get around to being in other places _besides _Japan... because let's face it... not all problems are focused in simply Japan... so I wanted them to get out more... And I'm sure you could figure out from the previous chapter that they will be going to other countries besides being limited to Japan... And I think it's fun-er. :

Soooo yeah!

Don't forget to leave a review!

_--FT_


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